As part of its mission to offer continuous professional development opportunities to its global community of IOI Alumni and Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs), the International Ocean Institute (IOI) hosted its third Alumni CPD Webinar of 2025, titled “Governance for Resilience: Showcasing Nature-Based Solutions in Ocean and Climate Policy.”

Moderated by Cosmin Chivu, Project Officer at IOI Headquarters, the webinar explored the growing importance of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in supporting ocean and climate resilience. The session brought together experts and practitioners from across the globe to discuss how ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses, and wetlands can be integrated into governance frameworks, marine spatial planning, and coastal adaptation strategies.

Opening the event, Joseph Flynn, Founder of OZEAON and Lead of a UN Ocean Decade–endorsed project, provided a scene-setting presentation on the state of the art in Nature-Based Solutions. He explored the scientific, policy, and governance foundations of NbS and discussed how open science, data accessibility, and inclusive policy frameworks can bridge the gap between research and implementation.

This was followed by a Mediterranean case study presented by Alessio Marrone, Research Support Officer at the University of Malta’s Department of Geosciences, who shared recent results from Posidonia oceanica restoration initiatives within Maltese waters. Alessio's presentation illustrated how ecosystem rehabilitation efforts are contributing to coastal protection, biodiversity recovery, and carbon sequestration within the region.

The second half of the webinar highlighted mangrove restoration as a Nature-Based Solution, featuring perspectives from four regions and programmes across the ECOP Network and TERRE Policy Centre:

• Dr. Mathew K. Avarachen (NTNU, Norway) and Dr. Sreelekshmi S. (CUSAT, India) offered a comparative view of mangrove ecosystems across tropical regions — from India and the Maldives to Tanzania and Ghana — underscoring their ecological value, blue carbon potential, and role in climate adaptation.

• María Schoenbeck (Coastal Solutions Fellow, Guatemala) presented the Alas y Raíces Resilientes project, demonstrating how hydrological rehabilitation, reforestation, and the active participation of women are strengthening mangrove governance in local communities.

• Melyn Abisa (Youth4Nature, Kenya) shared insights from the INUKA Nature-Based Solutions Project, highlighting youth leadership and innovation in community-led mangrove restoration at Tudor Creek, Mombasa.

• Sagar Lakhotiya (TERRE Policy Centre, India) discussed community buy-in and long-term sustainability in restoration projects, showing how environmental awareness, renewable energy access, and local livelihoods can foster trust and lasting engagement.

Throughout the session, speakers emphasised the critical role of governance, inclusion, and local ownership in ensuring that Nature-Based Solutions move beyond pilot projects to become integral components of ocean and climate policy.

The event attracted participants from across the IOI Alumni and ECOP networks, fostering a vibrant exchange on integrating science, community engagement, and policy to advance ocean resilience.

As part of its mission to provide timely learning opportunities and continuous professional development for its global IOI Alumni community and early career ocean professionals (ECOPs), the International Ocean Institute hosted its second Alumni CPD Webinar of 2025. Titled "Ocean at a Crossroads: Key Insights from the 3rd UN Ocean Conference". The webinar offered participants a unique opportunity to engage with some of the outcomes of the June 2025 conference held in Nice, France, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.

Moderated by Cosmin Chivu, Project Officer at IOI Headquarters, the webinar convened a distinguished panel of experts, each offering a unique perspective on some of the conference outcomes, as well as practical strategies for advancing sustainable ocean governance.

Rebecca Lahl, Head of the Office for Knowledge Exchange at ZMT and Director of IOI Germany, opened the panel by reflecting on the growing importance of science-policy interfaces in delivering ocean action. She stressed the need for greater interdisciplinary collaboration, scientific cooperation across borders, and more inclusive capacity development to ensure that ocean knowledge leads to practical, local impact.

Evgeniia Kostianaia, Global Coordinator of the ECOP Programme, followed with a dynamic presentation on how early career professionals can enhance their contributions at large global conferences like UNOC3. Drawing from the ECOP Programme’s work, she shared strategies for networking, participation, and turning conference experiences into concrete opportunities for collaboration and continued learning.

Jorge Barbosa, Blue Economy Advisor at the Water Revolution Foundation and Blue Economy Specialist with the World Bank, closed the presentations by discussing the promise and risks of the emerging blue economy. He shared perspectives on how inclusive investment, climate-linked development strategies, and co-created solutions with communities can reshape sustainable ocean economies and strengthen ocean-climate governance.

The webinar concluded with remarks from Dr Awni Behnam, Honorary President of IOI, who underscored the urgency of turning ambition into action. Referring to the draft political declaration of the Nice Conference, he highlighted the importance of multilateralism, financial equity, and long-term commitments as we move towards the next UN Ocean Conference in 2028.

As global interest in ocean sustainability continues to grow, the IOI remains committed to providing learning opportunities that allow our Alumni to engage directly with cutting-edge developments in Ocean Governance. Our most recent webinar, held on 27 March 2025, focused for the first time specifically on the ocean economy, examining how trade and investment policies can align more closely with sustainable ocean governance and climate resilience.

Global trade, maritime infrastructure, and ocean sustainability are intricately connected. However, despite increasing international attention, many states—particularly developing nations and Small Island Developing States—continue to face challenges in participating effectively in sustainable ocean trade due to gaps in technical capacities, resilient infrastructure, and supportive regulatory frameworks. To address these critical issues, the IOI hosted a webinar titled "Aligning Trade Policies with Sustainable Ocean Use: Insights from the 5th UN Ocean Forum." This event offered Alumni and ocean professionals valuable insights into the current trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping global ocean governance and trade.

Four distinguished speakers, each experts in their respective fields, contributed uniquely valuable perspectives:

• David Vivas Eugui (Chief a.i., Trade, Environment & Sustainable Development Branch, UNCTAD) opened the discussion with an overview of the recent 5th UN Ocean Forum, highlighting key themes and global trends shaping the ocean economy, and emphasising how international trade can become a vehicle for sustainability.

• Regina Asariotis (Chief a.i., Trade Logistics Branch & Policy and Legislation Section, UNCTAD) provided focused insights from one of the Forum’s key side events on climate-resilient maritime infrastructure. Her presentation highlighted the critical importance of resilient ports and transport systems for securing sustainable trade, tourism, and disaster response in the context of climate change.

• Antonella Vassallo (Managing Director, International Ocean Institute) underscored the foundational role that ocean capacity development plays in supporting effective governance and sustainable trade. She illustrated how targeted education, institutional strengthening, and knowledge transfer empower states—especially developing nations and SIDS—to actively engage and lead in global ocean sustainability efforts.

• Viviana Tinoco Monge (Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the UN in Geneva) concluded the speaker presentations with a detailed summary of key outcomes and recommendations emerging from the 5th UN Ocean Forum, offering a clear roadmap toward the upcoming 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice. Her presentation emphasised the importance of international collaboration and multilateral diplomacy in achieving sustainable ocean governance.

The webinar concluded with insightful reflections from Dr Awni Behnam, Honorary President of IOI, who highlighted the significance of integrating ocean sustainability more effectively into global economic and trade frameworks.

Through this session, IOI Alumni and ocean governance stakeholders gained comprehensive insights into the critical relationship between trade policies, sustainable development, and ocean health. By exploring emerging trends in sustainable ocean economy and examining the implications for policy-making, infrastructure investment, and capacity-building, attendees left equipped with actionable knowledge to further support their work toward a sustainable and resilient future for our shared ocean.