This year, the European Ocean Days have established themselves as a key meeting point at the European level for a wide range of ocean-related topics. The EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters has made an extraordinary effort to organise this event, bringing together numerous stakeholders in this critical endeavour. As a marine conservation organisation, it is truly a privilege for us to be part of such a unique gathering.
Now, looking back after some weeks, I feel it’s time to share some reflections that this experience has sparked. However, instead of repeating and reproducing what we already know about ocean protection, I prefer to share an honest reflection now that I’m back home.
As I reflect on the event, one question stands out: have we really made progress on the challenges we face? Sadly, I believe the answer is no, and time is not on our side. To achieve meaningful progress, we need more than a five-day agenda centered on top-down presentations with minimal debate or participant interaction beyond coffee breaks.
This lack of meaningful engagement highlights a crucial need: we must think outside the box. We need more participation, more debate, more co-creation, and more innovation. These are core elements of our projects, yet we fail to implement them in the very space where we could share them with the entire Mission Ocean community.
It’s time to rethink how we apply Ocean Literacy Dimensions and participatory approaches to help us identify policy gaps and generate solutions through collective intelligence. After all, a tightly packed agenda of four-minute speeches alone is unlikely to foster the depth of discussion and collaboration needed to drive meaningful change.
We need more hands-on, eyes-on, and neurons-on approaches to collectively define solutions to our challenges. We need practical ways to explore engagement techniques and decision-making processes.
What if, for the next Mission Ocean, we introduce intersectoral dynamics to tackle today’s pressing issues from different perspectives? For example:
- Reducing bureaucratic barriers
- Speeding up project permits
- Enhancing accessibility to funding
- Promoting inclusivity in ocean governance
- Improving ocean literacy
- Implementing practical solutions for stakeholder engagement
These are just some of the critical areas that demand action.
One key takeaway I hold from this event is the concept of downscaling. We need to translate these significant discussions, challenges, and projects into tangible, practical tools that truly impact citizens and make a visible difference.
In these crucial times, we must reinforce our commitment to investing in conservation. This is a moment for the European Union to step up and lead a true alliance for advancing SDG 14—through a downscaled EU Ocean Pact. I firmly believe that focusing on this objective will create a ripple effect across other SDGs. The ocean, though not always explicitly mentioned, is a cross-cutting priority with the power to drive global progress and inspire a more sustainable and resilient future for all.
