One Ocean: What Polar and Atlantic Change Means for Europe
A science-policy event on emerging ocean and climate risks
Climate-driven changes in the Atlantic Ocean, the Southern Ocean and the Arctic are creating growing risks for Europe’s climate, economy, infrastructure and long-term resilience.
One Ocean: What polar and Atlantic change means for Europe will bring together scientists, policymakers and stakeholders to explore the latest research on these interconnected changes, including new findings on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, polar regions and their implications for Europe.
The event is co-organised by the Horizon Europe projects OCEAN ICE and EPOC, and hosted by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.
Event details
Date: Friday 11 September 2026
Time: 12:30–16:30
Networking lunch/finger food: from 11:30
Location: Natural History Museum, Brussels, and online
Registration: Attendance is free, but pre-registration is required: https://forms.gle/fZQdapq9NYXTKTAD7
About the event
The event will present policy-relevant research on how changes in the Atlantic Ocean, Southern Ocean and Arctic may affect Europe in both the short and long term. Discussions will consider different stakeholder perspectives and the need for greater investment in integrated ocean and polar research to help Europe better understand, anticipate and respond to emerging climate challenges.
Topics will include:
- Changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
- Connections between the Atlantic, Arctic and Southern Ocean
- Implications for Europe’s climate, economy and infrastructure
- The role of ocean and polar research in resilience and preparedness
- Stakeholder perspectives on science-policy needs
Art and photography
Alongside the discussions, participants will be able to experience an art exhibition inspired by Arctic research by Laure Winants, as well as photographic projections from the Southern Ocean, Antarctica, the Arctic and the Atlantic, captured by scientists involved in the projects.
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Maria Grigoratou
mgrigoratou@europeanpolarboard.org
Vikki Gunn
vikki.gunn@seascapeconsultants.co.uk
Funding acknowledgement
OCEAN ICE and EPOC are funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
OCEAN ICE and EPOC are associated All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance projects. Home - All Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance
Draft Agenda:
Moderator: Maria Gigoratou, Executive Secretary – European Polar Board, lead organiser of the event from OCEAN ICE
First round
- Welcome
- One Ocean: What polar and Atlantic change means for Europe, talk from the projects (25 min)
- Impulse statements from invited guests
- Q&A with the audience
Break
Second round
- Impulse statements from invited guests
- Q&A with the audience
- Panel discussion and Q&A with the audience:
- Ágúst Hjörtur Ingþórsson, Director General, The Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS)
- Larisa Lorinczi, EU policy officer, Healthy Ocean and Seas at DG RTD
- Prof. Daniela Schmidt, Expert Group Member of EU SAPEA on the topic "Food from the Oceans" and Coordinator lead author of the IPCC WGII chapter on Europe for the 6th IPCC assessment, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research Environment and Culture, Bristol University, UK
- Summary of the discussion from the projects- End of meeting.
Participants are invited to stay at the venue until 16:30 for networking
Impulse Statements (5 mins per speaker)
Confirmed (in alphabetical order)
- Margherita Cappelletto, Coordinator of the European Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP), Internationalisation of Research, Directorate General for Internationalisation, Ministry of Universities and Research, Italy
- Maria Hood, EU Coordinator for the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean Initiative, Head of the G7 FSOI Coordination Centre, Mercator Ocean International, France
- Antonia Leroy, Head of Ocean Policy, WWF European Policy Office (EPO)
- Salomé Mormentyn, Polar Initiative Manager at Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Monaco
- Matthew Neil, Captain RRS Sir David Attenborough, UK
- Heidi Sevestre, Deputy Secretary at the Secretariat of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (Arctic Council), Norway
- Laure Winants, researcher and field-based visual artist (Arctic)
