Ocean Acidification

Echinoderms exposed to shifting environmental conditions possess biological mechanisms that allow them to persist. These include intraspecific processes acting at different evolutionary and temporal scales: local genomic adaptations shaped by selective pressures over generations, and phenotypic plasticity expressed as individuals adjust to genotype–environment interactions during their lifetimes. The relationship between echinoderms and their symbiotic microbiota may further influence their adaptive capacity. Our group has adopted a multidisciplinary approach to examine the adaptive potential of key echinoderm species under ocean warming and acidification, combining observations along natural temperature and pH gradients with controlled laboratory experiments. We find diverse stress responses and adaptive strategies—ranging from local genomic differentiation and shifts in gene expression to metabolic adjustments—that vary between species. However, these intra- and interspecific mechanisms do not always align. Differences in evolutionary history and thermal tolerance may underpin the contrasting resilience of echinoderms, offering crucial insights into their survival prospects under future oceanographic change.

Dates: 24 November – 5 December 2025

Location: IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories, Monaco.

Deadline for receipt of application from the nominating national authority: 15 September 2025

Form A and Form C

The course is organized by the IAEA OA-ICC in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation through the OACIS Initiative (Ocean Acidification and other ocean Changes – Impacts and Solutions).

Introduction

Ocean acidification is a global environmental stressor that threatens marine life and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Ocean acidification is caused by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide being absorbed by the ocean, resulting in changes to seawater carbonate chemistry, including a drop in pH. Due to global concerns about its consequences, ocean acidification is included in international policies such as Target 3 of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 and Target 8 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The IAEA’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) supports IAEA Member States to minimize and adapt to OA and report towards SDG 14.3 and the GBF, with a strong focus on building capacity to study ocean acidification and related stressors and promoting international collaboration and coordination.

Ocean acidification is not happening in isolation, but in combination with other human-driven pressures, including pollution, warming, and oxygen loss. The impact of multiple ocean stressors on marine life and ecosystem function is not well understood, yet this information is crucial to inform adaptation strategies that might minimize negative effects on organisms, ecosystems, and associated
socioeconomic benefits.

The Third Winter School on Ocean Acidification and Multiple Stressors is part of the capacity building program of the OA-ICC. This two-week training course will provide participating scientists with a thorough understanding about key concepts and experimental design used to study the impacts of ocean acidification in the context of additional stressors.

Objectives

The aim of the Winter School is to train early-career scientists who already have experience researching ocean acidification on how to study acidification in the context of other co-occurring stressors. Through lectures and practical exercises in the laboratory, the students will gain understanding of key concepts in multiple-stressor research (e.g., What is a stressor? What is a mode of action? What is an interaction?), purposeful experimental design, and analysis of complex datasets. During the course, participants will collaborate on a joint laboratory experiment to elucidate the effects of three simultaneous drivers on marine organisms, with the objective to publish the results in a collective article after the training.

Target Audience

The course is open to 10-12 trainees. Priority will be given to early-career scientists with experience in marine environmental change with a focus on ocean acidification; a background in biological sciences is preferred. At least one publication in the field of marine environmental change is required.

Working Language: English

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Participation and Registration

All persons wishing to participate in the event have to be designated by an IAEA Member State or should be members of organizations that have been invited to attend.

In order to be designated by an IAEA Member State, participants are requested to send the Participation Form (Form A) to their competent national authority (e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) for onward transmission to the IAEA by 15 September 2025. Participants who are members of an organization invited to attend are requested to send the Participation Form (Form A) through their organization to the IAEA by the above deadline.

Selected participants will be informed in due course on the procedures to be followed with regard to administrative and financial matters.

Participants are hereby informed that the personal data they submit will be processed in line with the Agency’s Personal Data and Privacy Policy and is collected solely for the purpose(s) of reviewing and assessing the application and to complete logistical arrangements where required. The IAEA may also use the contact details of Applicants to inform them of the IAEA’s scientific and technical publications, or the latest employment opportunities and current open vacancies at the IAEA. These secondary purposes are consistent with the IAEA’s mandate.

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Additional Requirements

Participants should have a university degree in marine chemistry, biology, oceanography or a related scientific field, and should be currently involved in or planning to study the ecological impact of multiple stressors, including ocean acidification. Experience in R is strongly encouraged.

Selection will be based on merit and interest. Applications should include:

• A motivation letter with a short description of the candidate’s research interests and how the course would benefit the applicant’s current or future research on ocean acidification and multiple stressors (max one A4 page)
• CV with publication list

New Zealand will host the 6th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO₂ World next fall from 12 – 16 October 2026 in Wellington. This conference will bring together marine climate change scientists to explore the impacts of rising CO₂ on the ocean and the marine environment. Ocean acidification remains a central theme of the symposium series, and this edition will also expand to consider other ocean climate impacts, such as ocean warming and deoxygenation, especially in a multiple driver context. Research on marine carbon dioxide removal interventions suggested to mitigate climate change and ocean acidification will also be a key part of the conference. Join researchers and other thought leaders from across the globe to explore the impacts of rising CO₂ and help share future ocean science solutions.

The event is organized by the Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington and will take place at the Tākina Event Center. Stay tuned for more information about the program and registration.

Language: Spanish
Location: Universidad del Mar, Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca, Mexico
Course date: 10-14 November 2025

Application deadline: 25 August 2025

Scope: The Regional School “Unravelling the Impact of Deoxygenation and Coastal Acidification in the Latin American Region: From Physical and Chemical Perspectives to Evolutionary Implications” is designed to address existing knowledge and capacity gaps by fostering scientific collaboration and strengthening research capabilities across the region. Organized by the Latin American Ocean Acidification Network (LAOCA), in collaboration with the Coastal Social-Ecological Millennium Institute (SECOS) and the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO), and sponsored by international partners including The Ocean Foundation (TOF) and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR), and Chilean (UdeC) and Mexican universities (UABC, UMAR), this school offers an interdisciplinary platform to train approximately 18 Latin American scientists in cutting-edge methodologies and concepts related to ocean deoxygenation and acidification.

This initiative will also emphasize the socioeconomic dimensions of these environmental challenges, with a focus on empowering coastal communities to build resilience through sustainable practices and informed policy interventions. Including researchers from underrepresented regions will ensure a diversity of perspectives and promote equity in scientific capacity building. By creating a network of trained scientists equipped to study and address these critical issues, the Regional School will contribute to the long-term goal of mitigating the impacts of deoxygenation and coastal acidification in Latin America. Additionally, it will strengthen collaboration among local, regional, and global initiatives, including the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) and Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE). With representation from at least 4 to 5 Latin American countries involved in LAOCA, as well as other developing nations, the workshop will convene nine renowned Latin American scientists from Mexico and Chile, along with 16 to 18 selected participants

How to apply? Interested participants must complete the online application form available at the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeUaBYFXM7TYBh-PIGHKubpt2CrI2rYJFcSXLd1QelTLYrGmQ/viewform?usp=header

Dates: 11-15 August 2025

Location: Kingston, Jamaica

Deadline for receipt of application from the nominating national authority: 2 July 2025

Form A and Form C

The course is a cooperative effort organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) and hosted by the Government of Jamaica through the University of the West Indies (UWI) as the local organizer.

Introduction

The IAEA’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) supports IAEA Member States to minimize and adapt to OA and report towards SDG 14.3 and the GBF, with a strong focus on building capacity to study ocean acidification and related stressors and promoting international collaboration and coordination.

Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification due to their reliance on the ocean for food, income, and recreation. This Basic Training Course on Ocean Acidification will provide scientists from Caribbean SIDS with foundational knowledge on conducting ocean acidification monitoring and designing purposeful experiments to understand the impacts of ocean acidification on key marine organisms in the Caribbean region. By the end of the course, participants will have a better understanding of the challenges and complexities presented by ocean acidification and the critical role we all play in addressing this issue and developing solutions.

Objectives

The course aims to empower Caribbean SIDS to monitor ocean acidification and its effects on key marine species, informing both SDG 14.3 and Target 8 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and to explore local solutions to increase the resilience to ocean acidification in the region.
It will cover various topics, including theoretical aspects and best practices for the measurement of seawater carbonate chemistry, how to evaluate the impacts of ocean acidification on marine species and ecosystems, and potential solutions for minimizing its effects, including possible local adaptation measures. Guidance on how to report towards Sustainable Development Goal 14.3 and its indicator 14.3.1 on ocean acidification will be provided.

The course will be taught by experts in the field of ocean acidification, who will provide lectures, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities to ensure that participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic. The course will also provide opportunities for participants to network with peers and engage with the broader ocean acidification community. Local aquaculture managers will be invited to a special session to discuss potential local adaptation measures to counter the effects of ocean acidification in the Caribbean.

Target Audience

The course is intended for scientists from the Caribbean who are entering the ocean acidification field. It is open to 10 to 12 trainees from the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Priority will be given to early-career scientists with experience in marine sciences. Scientific publications in related fields will be valued.

Working Language: English

…

Participation and Registration

All persons wishing to participate in the event have to be designated by an IAEA Member State or should be members of organizations that have been invited to attend.

In order to be designated by an IAEA Member State, participants are requested to send the Participation Form (Form A) to their competent national authority (e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) for onward transmission to the IAEA by 2 July 2025. Participants who are members of an organization invited to attend are requested to send the Participation Form (Form A) through their organization to the IAEA by the above deadline.

Selected participants will be informed in due course on the procedures to be followed with regards to administrative and financial matters.

Participants are hereby informed that the personal data they submit will be processed in line with the Agency’s Personal Data and Privacy Policy and is collected solely for the purpose(s) of reviewing and assessing the application and to complete logistical arrangements where required. The IAEA may also use the contact details of Applicants to inform them of the IAEA’s scientific and technical publications, or the latest employment opportunities and current open vacancies at the IAEA. These secondary purposes are consistent with the IAEA’s mandate.

…

Additional Requirements

The participants should have a university degree in marine chemistry, biology, oceanography or a related scientific field, and should be currently involved in or planning to study ocean acidification. Scientific publications in related fields will be valued.

Selection will be based on merit and interest. Applications should include:

• A motivation letter with a short description of the candidate’s research interests and how the course would benefit the applicant’s current or future research (max one A4 page).
• CV with publication list.

Dates: 11-15 August 2025

Location: Kingston, Jamaica

Deadline for receipt of application from the nominating national authority: 25 June 2025

Form A and Form C

The course is a cooperative effort organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) and hosted by the Government of Jamaica through the University of the West Indies (UWI) as the local organizer.

Introduction

The IAEA’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) supports IAEA Member States to minimize and adapt to OA and report towards SDG 14.3 and the GBF, with a strong focus on building capacity to study ocean acidification and related stressors and promoting international collaboration and coordination.

Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification due to their reliance on the ocean for food, income, and recreation. This Basic Training Course on Ocean Acidification will provide scientists from Caribbean SIDS with foundational knowledge on conducting ocean acidification monitoring and designing purposeful experiments to understand the impacts of ocean acidification on key marine organisms in the Caribbean region. By the end of the course, participants will have a better understanding of the challenges and complexities presented by ocean acidification and the critical role we all play in addressing this issue and developing solutions.

Objectives

The course aims to empower Caribbean SIDS to monitor ocean acidification and its effects on key marine species, informing both SDG 14.3 and Target 8 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and to explore local solutions to increase the resilience to ocean acidification in the region.
It will cover various topics, including theoretical aspects and best practices for the measurement of seawater carbonate chemistry, how to evaluate the impacts of ocean acidification on marine species and ecosystems, and potential solutions for minimizing its effects, including possible local adaptation measures. Guidance on how to report towards Sustainable Development Goal 14.3 and its indicator 14.3.1 on ocean acidification will be provided.

The course will be taught by experts in the field of ocean acidification, who will provide lectures, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities to ensure that participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic. The course will also provide opportunities for participants to network with peers and engage with the broader ocean acidification community. Local aquaculture managers will be invited to a special session to discuss potential local adaptation measures to counter the effects of ocean acidification in the Caribbean.

Target Audience

The course is intended for scientists from the Caribbean who are entering the ocean acidification field. It is open to 10 to 12 trainees from the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Priority will be given to early-career scientists with experience in marine sciences. Scientific publications in related fields will be valued.

Working Language: English

…

Participation and Registration

All persons wishing to participate in the event have to be designated by an IAEA Member State or should be members of organizations that have been invited to attend.

In order to be designated by an IAEA Member State, participants are requested to send the Participation Form (Form A) to their competent national authority (e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) for onward transmission to the IAEA by 25 June 2025. Participants who are members of an organization invited to attend are requested to send the Participation Form (Form A) through their organization to the IAEA by the above deadline.

Selected participants will be informed in due course on the procedures to be followed with regards to administrative and financial matters.

Participants are hereby informed that the personal data they submit will be processed in line with the Agency’s Personal Data and Privacy Policy and is collected solely for the purpose(s) of reviewing and assessing the application and to complete logistical arrangements where required. The IAEA may also use the contact details of Applicants to inform them of the IAEA’s scientific and technical publications, or the latest employment opportunities and current open vacancies at the IAEA. These secondary purposes are consistent with the IAEA’s mandate.

…

Additional Requirements

The participants should have a university degree in marine chemistry, biology, oceanography or a related scientific field, and should be currently involved in or planning to study ocean acidification. Scientific publications in related fields will be valued.

Selection will be based on merit and interest. Applications should include:

• A motivation letter with a short description of the candidate’s research interests and how the course would benefit the applicant’s current or future research (max one A4 page).
• CV with publication list.

If you will be at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, please join the following events:

Science to action on SDG 14.3

• 9 June 2025, 14:00 – 17:00 (including reception and social hour)
• Le Negresco, 37 Prom. des Anglais, Nice
• RSVP through this link
• Organized by the OA Alliance, Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS), the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO
• See flyer for more information

Ocean-based solutions: from blue carbon to ocean alkalinity enhancement

• 9 June 2025, 18:30 – 21:30 (reception to follow panel discussion)
• Institut de la Mer de Villefranche
• By invitation only: email L.Hansson@iaea.org if interested in attending.
• Organized by Ocean Acidification and other ocean Changes – Impacts and Solutions (OACIS) with the participation of the Global Ocean Decade Programme for Blue Carbon (GO-BC) and Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions (ONCE)
• See flyer for more information

Addressing and minimizing ocean acidification: success stories, opportunities, and new commitments

• 10 June 2025, 14:00 – 15:00
• Ocean Literacy Pavilion, Green Zone/La Baleine
• Register for access to La Baleine
• Organized by Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, the University of Washington, Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS), the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), the International Coral Reef Society (ICRS), the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI), the OSPAR Commission, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, Velux Foundation, The Economist, and BNP Paribas

Beyond tipping points: safeguarding biodiversity in a changing ocean

• 11 June 2025, 13:15 – 14:45 (lunch included)
• Mama Shelter, Nice, France
• RSVP by 4 June to L.Hansson@iaea.org
• Organized by Ocean Acidification and other ocean Changes – Impacts and Solutions (OACIS)
• See flyer for more information

Policy action to implement SDG 14.3

• 11 June 2025, 14:45 – 15:30
• Manta Room, Green Zone/La Baleine
• RSVP to jturner@unfoundation.org
• Organized by the OA Alliance
• See flyer for more information

The Biology Working Group of GOA-ON was formed in 2015 with the mission to bridge chemical and biological changes associated with ocean acidification. Over the years, it worked on multiple tasks to (i) inform the chemical monitoring program about the biological needs; (ii) evaluate the needs and requirement of a biological monitoring program; and (iii) develop a theoretical framework linking chemical changes to biological response. Some of this work was recently published (Widdicombe et al. 2023) opening the way to new approaches for chemical and biological monitoring. The working group is now exploring new avenues on current and best practices to evaluate the impact of ocean acidification on biodiversity. This presentation will summarize the activities of the working group and offer to the community (chemists, biologists, modelers) an opportunity to contribute to some of the tasks.

Register

When: Thu, Mar 6 2025, 4:30 – 5:20pm

Location: Online: Zoom; In-Person at WWU: Academic West 204

Description: This place-based collaborative effort to understand, anticipate, and prepare for ocean changes affecting natural and human systems owes its success to how oceanographic, ecological, and social scientists and tribal community partners co-designed and co-produced the project. Our goal was to provide an assessment of coupled social-ecological vulnerability to effects from ocean acidification based on new social science and a synthesis of existing data and model projections relevant to the Olympic Coast, its biological resources, and its inhabitants. We outlined eight objectives to guide our project, developing areas of strong integration, including drawing from Indigenous knowledge to inform social science understanding, and drawing on these two systems of knowledge for guiding selection of species of focus for biological risk assessment, with feedback to community preparation and adaptation actions. I will focus on ecological elements of the risk assessment but stress its utility in the context of the social science.

The Environmental Speaker Series is free and open to the public. Talks are held each Thursday at 4:30pm in Academic Instructional Center West, room 204. Join us at WWU or online on Zoom!

REGISTER NOW

The SDGs-EYES webinar “Eutrophication and acidification in the North Sea: Advancing on SDGs indicators monitoring, reporting and accounting” will provide an in-depth exploration of critical environmental challenges and solutions. This webinar highlights the innovative Copernicus-based tool delivering advanced mapping of SDG indicators for the North Sea, supporting local and European policy-making processes in sustainable marine resource management.

Participants will gain insights into the pilot‘s advanced tools and datasets, designed to enhance stakeholders’ understanding and response strategies to sustainable management of marine resources and ecosystems. The webinar will foster discussions on potential applications, align solutions with user needs, and encourage the adoption of the pilot’s outcomes to address real-world challenges.

Key Highlights:

• Advancing SDG14 – Life Below Water: Explore how the pilot contributes to monitoring and managing marine ecosystems, addressing eutrophication and acidification to promote the sustainable use of ocean resources.
• Innovative Marine Indicators: Learn how the Copernicus-based tools generate high-resolution maps of SDG14 indicators for the North Sea, supporting policy-making and sustainable management of vulnerable marine areas.
• Mitigating Anthropogenic Pressures: Understand how the pilot supports knowledge of the impacts of human activities, such as marine ecosystems changes under recent climate conditions, helping to safeguard biodiversity.
• Global Sustainability and Marine Protection: Discuss the role of this initiative in supporting global efforts to achieve SDG 14 targets and contribute to the post-2030 United Nations agenda for ocean health.
• Discuss the role of this pilot in supporting global efforts, as the United Nations shapes the post-2030 agenda to advance sustainability goals.

Closing date: 10 January 2025, end of day

All students and early career researchers who wish to apply to the 2025 GOOD-OARS summer school on ocean acidification and deoxygenation must do so soon, and we are very grateful to all who can help us to reach interested potential attendees by sharing this announcement with your networks.

The summer school will welcome up to 40 Early Career Researchers, PhD students, and highly motivated MSc students who aim to work on or with ocean acidification and deoxygenation.  The school will be hosted by the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies of Universiti Sains Malaysia (CEMACS) and is established under the Global Ocean Oxygen Decade (GOOD) and Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) programmes of the UN Ocean Decade. It aims to train the next generation of ocean oxygen and acidification scientists and researchers in the foundations of both fields, with instruction and lectures from world experts in a friendly setting for discussion.

You can read more about the school on its website. The school will run from the 4-11 November 2025 at CEMACS in Penang, Malaysia. Applications are open until 10 January 2025. Applicants should expect to hear back on or before 7 February 2025.

Any queries can be directed to go2ne-secretariat@unesco.org and to ssgo2025@gmail.com. Very many thanks for your help in bringing this to the attention of interested potential attendees!

GOA-ON, IOC-UNESCO, 6 January 2025. More information.

Join us on Thursday, March 13, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET, to learn about ocean acidification.

The ocean acts like a sponge, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Increased absorption by the ocean causes changes to our ocean’s chemistry from pole to pole. This is known as ocean acidification. Ocean acidification has regional and local impacts on marine life, ecosystems, and the people who depend on them. Additional processes and stressors near our coasts like nutrient pollution and algae blooms cause coastal acidification, introducing additional impacts.  We’ve advanced our science enough to be able to assess regional vulnerability and identify and build adaptive strategies to help people prepare for and mitigate these challenges.

In this web seminar, the presenters will talk about NOAA’s efforts to assess resilience and vulnerability to ocean and coastal acidification and provide resources and solutions supporting coastal and inland communities. The presenters will also share the latest research in the emerging field of marine carbon dioxide removal to mitigate ocean acidification.

All individuals receive a certificate of participation and 100 NSTA activity points for attending the live seminar and completing the end-of-program survey. A certificate of participation is not awarded for watching the recorded version of the program.

We invite you to register for upcoming web seminars at NSTA.

Register today to participate in this web seminar. Upon registering you will receive an e-mail confirmation including information about the program and suggested links to visit in preparation of the event. Additional information about the web seminar will be e-mailed to you days before the program.

New Users: Log in 15 minutes prior to the start time for an introduction to NSTA web seminars.

Each web seminar is a unique, stand-alone, program. Archives of the web seminars and the presenters’ PowerPoint presentations will be available through the links on this web page. Read answers to frequently asked questions from participants.

For more information contact: webseminars@nsta.org

Apply to join the 2025 GOOD-OARS summer school to be held in Malaysia in November 2025. 

Applications are now open for the 2025 GOOD-OARS Summer School on Ocean Acidification and Deoxygenation, taking place 4–11 November 2025 at the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies of Universiti Sains Malaysia (CEMACS) in Penang, Malaysia.

This unique program will host up to 40 Early Career Researchers, PhD students, and motivated MSc students passionate about advancing their knowledge and research in ocean acidification and deoxygenation.

Why Join?
The summer school is part of the Global Ocean Oxygen Decade (GOOD) and Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) programs under the UN Ocean Decade. Participants will receive cutting-edge training from world-class experts in a collaborative environment designed to inspire discussion and innovation.

📍 Location: CEMACS, Penang, Malaysia
📅 Dates: 4–11 November 2025

Important Deadlines:

Application Deadline: 10 January 2025
Selected Applicants Announced: 7 February 2025
For inquiries, please contact:
📩 go2ne-secretariat@unesco.org
📩 ssgo2025@gmail.com

Registration: Registration form is now open

Abstracts: Abstract submission until 31 January 2025

The Liège Colloquium is organized as a plenary event. Talks and posters will be organized within the following sessions

• Technological approaches
• Environmental implications
• Socio-economic considerations
• Governance and regulation

Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal  

Marine-based CDR techniques are gaining increased attention to achieve the necessary CO2 removal for climate stabilisation. This conference will bring together experts from diverse disciplines, including marine biology, oceanography, climate science, environmental engineering, policy, and economics, to discuss marine CDR approaches’ potential, feasibility, efficiency, risks, and the need for adequate monitoring and policy regulations.

Deliberate and active carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from the atmosphere is critical to achieve the global climate targets. The ocean plays a key role in regulating the Earth’s carbon cycle, absorbing approximately 25-30% of human-caused carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and storing about 50 times as much carbon as the pre-industrial atmosphere. Marine-based CDR techniques are gaining increased attention to achieve the necessary CO2 removal for climate stabilization. This conference will bring together experts from diverse disciplines, including marine biology, oceanography, climate science, environmental engineering, policy, and economics, to discuss marine CDR approaches’ potential, feasibility,  efficiency, risks, and the need for adequate monitoring and policy regulations. 

The primary objectives of the conference are:

• To evaluate the scientific and technical viability of various marine-based CDR methods (e.g., ocean alkalinity enhancement, ocean fertilization, seaweed and microalgae cultivation, artificial up/downwelling, direct ocean capture).
• To assess the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of marine CDR techniques.
• To foster a dialogue between scientists, policymakers, the private sector, and NGOs to align on best practices, ethical considerations, and governance frameworks.

The conference will cover the following topics:

• Technological approaches: An in-depth look at various marine CDR technologies, and the development of reliable monitoring, reporting, verification, life cycle analysis, and field trials. 
• Environmental implications: Assessment of the potential impacts and risks to marine ecosystems, including ocean acidification, biodiversity impacts, and unintended consequences.
• Socio-economic considerations: Understanding the cost-effectiveness and potential co-benefits of marine CDR, the role of the carbon markets, as well as public perception and stakeholder engagement.
• Governance and regulation: Exploration of the legal and regulatory frameworks required for responsible deployment of marine CDR, including international treaties, national legislation, and voluntary industry standards. 

Expected Outcomes

• A Policy Brief report summarizing a comprehensive assessment of priority research and recommendations for national and international stakeholders on approaching marine CDR development.