OBAMA-NEXT brings marine biodiversity monitoring into science–policy discussions at ECSA 61
From 24–27 August 2026, OBAMA-NEXT joined researchers, practitioners and decision-makers in Brussels for ECSA 61 – Bridging the gap between science and policy in estuarine and coastal marine biodiversity: the way forward.
The conference brought together an international, multidisciplinary community to discuss recent developments in coastal and estuarine science and how scientific knowledge can better support the sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems.
A particular focus of this year’s conference was strengthening the connection between scientific research and environmental policy. For the first time, ECSA dedicated its final day to Science-meets-Policy, creating a space for researchers, managers and decision-makers to discuss how scientific results can contribute to current monitoring, assessment and management frameworks.
During the session, OBAMA-NEXT Project Coordinator Jacob Carstensen presented the project’s policy briefs to participants, highlighting key project outputs and their relevance for marine biodiversity monitoring and environmental policy. This science–policy connection is central to our project as we are developing information products and monitoring tools designed to respond to the needs of decision-makers and support the implementation of European marine environmental policies.
ECSA 61 focused on the need for stronger collaboration in responding to biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution in estuarine, coastal and marine environments. The conference also provided an opportunity to share advances emerging from Horizon Europe projects and consider how they can contribute to European and international policy.
For OBAMA-NEXT, participation in the Science-meets-Policy Day offered an important opportunity to bring project results directly into discussions with the communities responsible for producing, applying and using marine biodiversity information. The event was also a great opportunity to connect and network with project partners, sister projects and other members of the marine research and policy community.
