Events Sustainable Ocean
Past Events
25 November 2025 - Symposium on the Pathways Toward Responsible Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal
Our recent symposium brought together researchers, policymakers, innovators, and industry to explore how marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) could develop responsibly in the coming decades. Against the backdrop of growing interest—and growing public concern—around geo-engineering, the meeting highlighted both the promise and the complexity of mCDR as part of broader climate action.
13 October 2025 - Launch ZeeWijzer during the Dutch House of Representatives elections
Ocean scientists and environmental and climate organisations have analysed fifteen election manifestos for their promises to the sea. Their findings reveal major differences between parties, and some key issues missing entirely. This is remarkable, as the sea plays a crucial role in major election themes such as the energy transition and achieving climate goals. The full Sea Guide (ZeeWijzer) is available at www.zeewijzer.nl. Both during as after the elections, the ZeeWijzer has inspired new discussions, interviews and (hopefully) ocean-friendly voting behavior.
9-10 October 2025 - UU-NIOZ Early Career Scientist Symposium
The sixth edition of the UU-NIOZ Early Career Scientist Symposium (UNECSS) took place on the 9th and 10th October at the Zuiderduin hotel, beautifully located by the beach in Egmond aan Zee. This year’s theme focused on how to navigate the intersection of scientific and public engagement, highlighting how "hot topics" in the media and global discourse can be communicated effectively and responsibly.
Atlantos - 'Dead Zones' Documentary Screening
We had the honour to welcome artist Suzette Bousema and watch her new documentary, ‘Dead Zones’, together at the campus. The event was organized by the Atlantos Student Association. Suzette is a visual artist, combining research and creativity to convey messages - usually related to nature and natural phenomena - by reaching her spectators’ senses and making them see things in a new light.
21 January 2025 - Symposium on the science-industry interface of marine Carbon Dioxide Removal
The Sustainable Ocean Community has made waves by organizing the second marine Carbon Dioxide Removal symposium together with the Arrhenius Program on 21st of January. The focus of the symposium was the science-industry interface of mCDR. Keynote speaker dr. Jaime Palter of the University of Rhode Island kicked off the afternoon, followed by pitches from several mCDR companies and an inspiring talk on the legal framework by dr. Haomiao Du. We would love to sea you at the third symposium in September! This time, we will take a deep dive into the public opinion on mCDR.
28 November 2024 - PtS-Conference: Breakout-session More than Human: Exploring non-linear perspectives on the world around us
During the breakout-session ‘More than Human: Exploring non-linear perspectives on the world around us’, participants discovered the concept of the More-than-Human; What does it mean? How do definitions vary across individuals and academic disciplines? What implications arise when humans attempt to represent the More-than-Human? The session was collaboratively organized by members of the PtS-communities Sustainable Ocean and Critical Pathways, specifically the Signature projects Whose Ocean? and Conceptualizing Ecocide.
11 November 2024 - Symposium on the feasibility, challenges and ethics of marine Carbon Dioxide Removal
Turning off the hose, learning to swim, and making the drain bigger - three ways to tackle climate change. Last Tuesday, we explored the latter at a symposium on marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR), the first meeting of a series jointly organised by the Sustainable Ocean Community and the Arrhenius Program. Experts, industry leaders, policymakers, and students gathered at NIOZ, Texel, to discuss the feasibility, challenges, and ethics of mCDR.
25 October 2024 - Utrecht University–NIOZ Early Career Scientist Symposium
On the 10th and the 11th of October, the fifth edition of the UU-NIOZ Early Career Scientist Symposium (UNECSS) took place at the Two Brothers hotel at the beach in Noordwijk aan Zee. The aim of the symposium was two-fold: to connect early career researchers working in the marine realm and to discuss the theme of the symposium, which this year was Open Science. It was great to see that people working on the marine realm in the broadest sense of the word participated: from paleontologists working on fossils from the North Sea to maritime lawyers, physical oceanographers, marine geologists, marine biologists, and many more. We enjoyed everyone's enthusiasm on day one during the poster session, the pub quiz and the drinks afterward.
25 September 2025 - Sustainable Ocean Student Team Borrel
The Sustainable Ocean Student Team is born as an initiative to bridge the gap between the Sustainable Ocean Community and students. The borrel started with a short introduction of the community, ECOP Netherlands and other affiliated institutions, followed by a brainstorm session and a dinner lecture with pizza.
19 June 2024 - MiningImpact-3 stakeholder workshop
For the JPIOceans Joint Call “Ecological impacts of deep-sea mining 2023”, policymakers, contractors and industry, NGOs, and social and legal scientists came together to co-designing the proposal for the 3rd phase of the MiningImpact project.
8 June 2024 - Student Symposium World Ocean Day
More than 70 ocean-devoted students from across the Netherlands and changemaker Melati Wijssen joined Arjan de Groene (WWF), Maarten Heijnen (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) and Vesna Bertoncelj (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research) to explore the challenges facing islands when it comes to sea level rise, plastic pollution and climate change.
8 June 2023 - Onderwater onthullingen - Feit of Fabel?
On the morning of World Ocean Day, families joined scientists Sabine Gollner, Renske Gelderloos, Erik van Sebille, Katja Peijnenburg and Stefanie Ypma to explore facts and myths about the ocean, in the beautiful auditorium of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center.
6 June 2024 - National Ocean Sciences Conference
The very first edition of the National Ocean Sciences Conference in the Netherlands took place at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center on Thursday 6 June 2024, organised by the Sustainable Ocean Community, NIOZ, Naturalis and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
31 May 2024 - Island and Ocean Imaginaries Workshop
This workshop aimed to foster a better understanding of islands, islanders, their relationship to the ocean, and the unique challenges they face in the wake of a changing climate and imagine new ways of relating to the sea.
23 May 2024 - Are the UNESCO Ocean Literacy Principles effective in raising awareness about ocean-related issues?
Together with Klokhuis, Wavemakers United, KlimaatHelpdesk, Scholen aan Zee and FRESK, we’ve explored various methods and approaches to enhance ocean literacy in the Netherlands.
8 May 2024 - Student Symposium on the North Sea Agreement
This interdisciplinary student symposium brought together students, researchers, policy advisors and other professionals to discuss the expansion of wind energy in the North Sea and the various interests that interact with it.
16 april 2024 - Negotiating and Litigating Ocean Sustainability
2 panel discussions and 7 experts: this event explored new developments in ocean governance and the challenges and opportunities that they present for ocean sustainability from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
12 June 2023 - Sustainable Ocean Kick-Off Event
This kick-off event marked the official commencement of the Sustainable Ocean community, a pivotal gathering aimed at uniting stakeholders, academics, and students. The primary objective was to foster collaboration, share insights, and collectively shape the community's agenda for the upcoming year.
