SOS Annual Meeting 2025: Global Collaboration for Sustainable Oceans
SOS convened its annual meeting in Kasnäs on 16-17 September 2025, bringing together researchers and partners to discuss future marine and climate initiatives.
During two crisp autumn days, a diverse group of 60 marine and sustainability experts gathered in the Kasnäs archipelago resort to discuss the latest research developments at SOS and among the centre’s collaborators.
The event featured interactive workshops, exhibitions, and keynote talks from Dr. Stefanie Ypma, Community Manager for the Sustainable Ocean Community at Utrecht University and Dr. Leonardo Valenzuela Pérez, Director of International Partnerships at Ocean Visions.
Valenzuela Pérez also leads the Global Ecosystem for Ocean Solutions (GEOS) initiative, a programme within the UN Ocean Decade. GEOS fosters collaboration between researchers, societal stakeholders, and policy-makers to develop science-based solutions addressing ocean-related climate challenges.
Earlier in 2025, SOS was formally recognised as a UN Ocean Decade Action under the GEOS programme. Through this collaboration, SOS contributes to the global development of solutions for a sustainable and resilient ocean, in alignment with the UN goals.
Read Åbo Akademi University’s news article about the SOS annual meeting on the ÅAU website.
The SOS annual meeting featured two keynote talks:
- “From Silos to Synergy: Enabling Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Ocean Sustainability” by Stefanie Ypma, Community Manager for the Sustainable Ocean Community at Utrecht University, Netherlands
- “Rethinking Ocean Protection: Towards the Enhancement of Policy Coherence to Restore the Climate System and Ocean Health” by Leonardo Valenzuela Pérez, Director of International Partnerships at Ocean Visions, United States
You can watch the recordings of both talks below and on the SOS YouTube channel.
