The Integrated Marine Debris Observing System | in-person & livestreamed

Organised by GEO Blue Planet Initiative, Mercator Ocan International, and IOPAN, supported by the IMDOS Steering Committee

Driving Change with Data: The Integrated Marine Debris Observing 

12 June 2025, 17:00-18:30 CET | in-person & livestreamed

You are invited to an official side event hosted by the Integrated Marine Debris Observing System (IMDOS), held in a hybrid format to welcome both in-person and online participants. The session is designed for a non-technical audience and will highlight the importance of international cooperation in addressing marine debris.

Through real-world examples, the event will showcase successful efforts in data harmonization and policy support, with contributions from leading scientific institutions and intergovernmental organizations. It offers a unique opportunity to explore how collaborative science is informing global action on marine litter.

>> Register here for this official side-event!

To encourage dialogue and networking, the event will conclude with a cocktail dinner, creating space for informal exchange among participants.

Ahead of the public session, IMDOS will host a closed Steering Committee meeting to review progress since its launch in December 2024. The committee includes representatives from 20 research institutions across 13 countries, working in close partnership with global stakeholders.

Event Agenda

17:00 - 17:10: Welcome Notes by Organisers (Dr. Audrey Hasson, GEO Blue Planet Executive Director)

17:10 - 17:30: The integrated Marine Debris Observing System - Vision and Mission (IMDOS co-chairs) - Implementation (Daphné Lecellier, GEO Blue Planet Programme Manager)

17:30 - 18:00: Inspiring examples from the IMDOS Community

- Monitoring litter to inform decision-making (Dr. Georg Hanke, EC- JRC)

- Collaborative Governance for Marine Litter Monitoring in Brazil (Vitoria Scrich, UNESCO Chair for Ocean Sustainability and Dr. Alex Turra, University of Sao Paulo)

- Harmonization of Monitoring and Assessment of Plastic Pollution by NUTEC (Dr. Marc Metian, IAEA-NUTEC)

18:00 - 18:30: Open Discussion with the IMDOS Steering Committee

Join us to learn more about this growing international initiative and help shape the future of marine debris monitoring through science, collaboration, and shared action.

Learn more about the organizers: Mercator Ocean International, GEO Blue Planet, IOPAN

>> Register here for this official side-event!

Photo by Casey Allen on Unsplash: African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) at Simon’s Town, Cape Town — an endangered species breeding along South Africa’s coast, threatened by overfishing and habitat loss.