General director of VLIZ, Jan Mees, participated in the Belgian side event ‘The Importance of a Well-Working Clearing House Mechanism for BBNJ’. During the panel discussion, he stressed the importance of open and usable marine data as an engine for international collaboration. The Clearing House Mechanism – a crucial and complex component of the BBNJ Treaty – is to become the digital backbone of global ocean policy. This is not just a database, but a system that connects countries, knowledge and communities in the spirit of transparency, justice and action.
VLIZ' director International relations, Ann-Katrien Lescrauwaet, shared her insights vis-à-vis the role of regions and regional actors in implementing integrated solutions for a healthy ocean during the side event ‘Ocean Solutions at Scale: Empowering Subnational Action for Restoring the Health of Marine Ecosystems’. During the panel session organised by the Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Data Sharing, she also discussed the societal importance of sharing ocean data, using the practical example from the Sea Level Station Monitoring Facility platform that VLIZ is developing and managing on behalf of the UNESCO/IOC.
Leen Vandepitte acted as a panellist at the ‘Shaping the Future of Marine Biodiversity Monitoring’ event. She presented the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) global database as a taxonomic reference. The event highlighted the importance of monitoring marine biodiversity, which is essential for implementing policies aimed at preserving a healthy and productive ocean.
Cyrielle Delvenne presented the Blue-Cloud 2026 project as an open science platform for collaborative marine research, linking it to the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO).
Juana Jimenez advocated an international collaboration model from Flanders during the panel ‘One Ocean, Seven Voices for Seven Continents: Collective Youth Action for SDG 14’. The event, organised by the Quebec SOI Foundation, highlighted the leadership and contributions of young people and Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) by sharing their regional perspectives.
On the occasion of the UN Ocean Conference, the brochure 'Gearing up our blue knowledge' received a new update. The brochure offers an overview of Flanders’s marine and maritime potential in the ocean knowledge economy. It's a joint product of the Flanders Marine Institute, the Blue Cluster, the Provincial Development Company (POM) of West Flanders and the WEWIS Department.
Prior to UNOC3, the One Ocean Science Congress (OOSC) took place in Nice from June 3rd to 6th. The aim of this conference was to provide comprehensive scientific insights on ocean health and future directions to heads of state, governments, and the broader society. VLIZ also had a strong presence at this scientific gathering. As a result of the congress, the marine scientific community is endorsing the "Science for Action" manifesto. The organizers and the International Scientific Committee of the One Ocean Science Congress are encouraging participants to support this manifesto.
