Webinars
Upcoming Webinars
MPA Day 2026: Uniting a Global Community for Ocean Protection
Tuesday, February 10, 10 am US EST/7 am US PST/3 pm UTC/4 pm CET/5 pm EET/5 pm SAST. Presented by: Judy Mann-Lang, Founder of MPA Day, and Katja Laingui, European Coordinator for MPA Day. Description: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are essential for conserving biodiversity, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and building climate resilience. MPA Day celebrated on August 1 annually is a coordinated global celebration to amplify collective efforts to protect the ocean. This webinar will highlight the evolution of MPA Day and its growing reach as more regions join in celebrating and promoting the value of MPAs. Judy Mann-Lang will discuss the origin of and motivation for MPA Day and its early growth, based on an understanding of the communication principles that underpin effective MPA management and public engagement. Katja Laingui will outline the steps taken to broaden MPA Day outreach into Europe and foster connections with emerging partners worldwide. Together, the speakers will share practical ways organizations and individuals can participate and help the initiative to grow in reach and impact.
Advancing Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning Through the MarinePlan Decision Support System
Wednesday, March 18, 10 am US EDT/7 am US PDT/2 pm UTC/3 pm CET. Presented by:Vanessa Stelzenmüller of Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries. Description: Achieving both conservation and green energy goals demands new approaches that more effectively align marine spatial planning (MSP) with systematic conservation planning. As a forward-looking, integrative process, MSP is uniquely positioned to help deliver sustainable marine futures, especially when grounded in strong ecosystem considerations. Implementing an ecosystem-based approach to MSP (EB-MSP) is therefore essential. This webinar will present a stakeholder-informed Decision Support System (DSS) for EB-MSP developed through the Horizon Europe project MarinePlan (www.marineplan.eu). The DSS offers practical guidance for aligning MSP processes with spatial conservation and restoration priorities. This webinar will introduce core components, including the use of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) as a central driver of conservation planning, as well as standardized guidance for defining planning scenarios aimed at meeting global conservation targets protecting 30% of marine areas, with 10% under strict protection by 2030. Finally, the webinar will compare developed planning scenarios with current MSP practices and discuss key insights. Challenges, opportunities, and areas for improvement within existing governance processes to support more effective implementation of EB-MSP will all be highlighted.
Past Webinars
Sharpening Our Focus on MPAs for 2020 and Beyond – Extended Q&A
As countries work toward meeting their Aichi and SDG targets of protecting 10% of the ocean by 2020, and as post-2020 agenda discussions begin, many players are wrestling with the confusion around the plethora of types of MPAs and other related conservation measures.
Sharpening Our Focus on MPAs for 2020 and Beyond
As countries work toward meeting their Aichi and SDG targets of protecting 10% of the ocean by 2020, and as post-2020 agenda discussions begin, many players are wrestling with the confusion around the plethora of types of MPAs and other related conservation measures.
New Study Highlights Need to Tackle Fisheries and Climate Together
The world’s oceans have the potential to be significantly more plentiful than today even with climate change, provided good management practices ..
Climate-driven species redistribution in marine systems
This webinar originally aired on October 25, 2018. Presenter(s): Gretta Pecl of the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and Centre for Marine Socioecology in…
Marine Heatwaves – Trends, Impacts Attribution, and Software
Extreme climate and weather events shape the structure of biological systems and affect the biogeochemical functions and services they provide for society.
Tackling ghost gear in hot spot areas: How innovative partnerships are helping developing countries address lost and abandoned fishing gear
This webinar originally aired on October 18, 2018 Presenter(s): Ingrid Giskes and Joel Baziuk of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, Nick Mallos from Ocean Conservancy’s…
Implications of climate change for managing coastal and marine protected habitats and species
Climate change is already affecting a wide range of marine and coastal conservation features (habitats, species, and communities).
Managing Global Acidification on a Regional Scale: How the US Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Coastal Acidification Networks (MACAN and NECAN) Are Working to Understand Impacts through Partnerships.
The chemistry of the ocean is changing. Carbon dioxide released through emissions and deforestation is absorbed and dissolved into the ocean.
Integrating social network development into MPA management capacity building and institutionalization in the Philippines and Indonesia
This webinar originally aired on August 9, 2018 Presenter(s): Anne Nelson and Gabrielle Johnson of NOAA
Climate Change Threatens the World’s Marine Protected Areas
This webinar originally aired on July 23, 2018 Presenter(s): John Bruno, UNC Chapel Hill Click here to view on YouTube