“Protecting the ocean so that it continues to protect us” – Europe’s leading ocean scientists launch advice for governments

Leading European marine scientists have published Navigating the Future VI (NFVI), a publication that provides governments, policy makers and funders with robust, independent scientific advice on priorities, focusing on the key role that the ocean plays in the wider Earth system.

The publication comprises four thematic chapters: Ocean and People, Ocean and Climate, Ocean and Freshwater, and Ocean and Biodiversity.
It is an important program document of the European Marine Board, an independent non-governmental advisory body that provides decision-makers with the knowledge of the scientific community. The members of the EMB are national oceanographic institutes, research funding agencies and universities from countries across Europe.

Together with 33 experts from 16 European countries, Dr. Slavica Matijević, scientific advisor of the Laboratory for Chemical Oceanography and Marine Sedimentology contributed with her many years of experience in the field of eutrophication, marine pollution and sediment geochemistry, as well as her involvement in the implementation of the European Water Directives and the regional Barcelona Convention. She has already been involved in the policy-making process by coordinating the preparation of the Croatian program of measures to achieve the goal of maintaining the good status of the marine environment and through her role as Croatian coordinator of the Mediterranean Action Plan.

As part of the team of the Ocean and Freshwater Chapter, Dr. Matijević worked intensively for two years on the preparation of the publication, where she contributed with her scientific experience to the conclusions of the document. In doing so, she brought together the messages from all four chapters to ensure that the ocean continues to provide the services necessary for nature and our society, and answered the question of how to protect the oceans so that the oceans continue to protect us.

At key moments for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) and the EU Mission: Renew our Ocean and Waters (2021-2027), the publication reflects the importance of linking science and policy and ensuring that the results of marine research directly influence decision-making on the sustainable future of the oceans.

The document is available at: https://www.marineboard.eu/publications/nfvi