All ocean enthusiasts are invited to explore the policy solutions to biodiversity issues facing the high seas. The High Seas Symposium, hosted by Duke's Ocean Policy Working Group, will include refreshments, lightning talks, and a high seas treaty panel.

Capacity is limited so secure your spot early.

The 9th annual summit will feature more than 40 keynote presentations, panel sessions, workshops, and TED Talk-style engagement opportunities. In addition, the popular Mentor Match program and an in-person career fair will offer students registered for the summit the opportunity to learn more about breaking into the cleantech sector.

The idea of the “blue economy” is compelling—and contested. On one hand, there is growing enthusiasm for using the oceans’ resources to grow economies and improve livelihoods while maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. On the other hand, the acceleration of ocean-based economic activity threatens to overwhelm increasingly vulnerable environments and communities. This is particularly important for small-scale fishing communities, which is likely the oceans’ largest source of livelihoods.

About the fourth seminar in the Gilman Climate Leaders Seminar Series: In order to deploy the low- and zero-carbon energy technologies that will enable the global economy to meet Paris Agreement greenhouse gas reduction goals, the world will need massive quantities of energy transition minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite. This seminar will dig into these needs and the possible ecosystem threats that mining for these minerals poses. Speakers will discuss where these minerals are located, the ecosystems found in those locations, and the role of recycling in limiting the need. The seminar will feature an engaged discussion among Steve Roady (Duke University), a long-time ocean advocate; Megan Cook (Duke University), an ocean explorer; and Renee Grogan, a consultant who works with seabed mining companies.

The first Blue Economy Summit at Duke University brings together diverse stakeholders from industry, government, non-profits, and academia to critically reflect on the challenges and opportunities of a sustainable ocean economy.

Small-scale fisheries are one of the oldest and still most prevalent ocean uses and food production systems. However, their contributions to society have been difficult to measure and often underappreciated by decision-makers. Here we share some of the preliminary findings of the Illuminating Hidden Harvests assessment of the contributions of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development, led by FAO, WorldFish and Duke University.

Habitat restoration is now being championed as a scalable strategy to reverse global habitat declines. This Oceans @ Duke panel discussion will include experts in the ecosystem restoration, who will provide insights into vital questions related to this topic.

John Virdin, Director of the Ocean and Coastal Policy Program, is among the panelists for "The Anthropocene Ocean" on January 27.

Panelists from the US Climate Alliance, the World Resources Institute, and Duke University will discuss their efforts to include blue carbon as part of greenhouse gas inventories and resource maps.

This entirely student-led conference aims to bring together students, practitioners, and faculty to collectively explore the links, trade-offs, and tensions at the nexus of climate change, oceans, and coastal ecosystems.

John Virdin, director of the Ocean and Coastal Policy Program at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, will speak at the week-long Global Forum on Education and Innovation in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.

Ocean and Coastal Policy Program director John Virdin will share his expertise on the so-called blue economy at several side events at the Ocean Conference, the high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. The conference will be convened at United Nations Headquarters in New York, June 5–9, coinciding with World Oceans Day, June 8.

Virdin will serve as a panelist at three side events: Financing for the Blue Economy in Small Island Developing States, sponsored by Grenada and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (June 5, 11 a.m.), Adopting the Blue Economy: A Viable Path to Sustainable Development in Small Island Developing States, sponsored by Grenada, the Netherlands, Cabo Verde, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (June 5, 1:15 p.m.), and The Role of the Oceans in Sustainability: Benefits of Achieving SDG 14 for all Sustainable Development Goals, sponsored by the Nippon Foundation (June 9, 5 p.m.).

Tibor Vegh, policy associate at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, will present during the March 27 workshop "Integrated Ocean Management Policies in Africa" at the twelfth meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Cooperation for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine Environment and Coastal Areas of the Atlantic Coast of the West, Central and Southern African Region.

For more information, visit the meeting website. 

Brian Murray, director of the Environmental Economics Program at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, will speak at Oceans Day at the United Nations Climate Conference in Paris, France.

Linwood Pendleton, senior scholar at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, will speak at a June 8 workshop held in honor of the United Nations World Oceans Day. Pendleton will speak on the socioeconomic impacts of climate change, focusing on social challenges in relation to the impact of carbon dioxide emissions and climate change. He will investigate how ocean and coastal socio-ecosystems react to these challenges.

Linwood Pendleton, senior scholar at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, will moderate three panel sessions at the 3rd International Marine Conservation Congress August 14 to18 in Glasgow, Scotland.

The conference, focused on "Marine Science Matter," will examine marine renewable and non-renewable energy; climate, ocean acidification, and the changing oceans; advancing marine conservation through international treaties; effective conservation planning; marine tourism; and estuary restoration.

Ocean and Coastal Policy Program Director Linwood Pendleton will serve as the discussion leader of the working group session "EEZs: Governance and Developing a Sustainable Ocean Economy," at The Economist's second World Ocean Summit. Taking place in San Francisco Feb. 24-27, the event will be chaired by John Micklethwait, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, and will convene global leaders from government, business, international organisations, NGOs, think-tanks and academia to continue the unique outcome driven dialogue first established at the 2012 summit.

Jim Anderson, leader, Global Program on Fisheries and Aquaculture at the World Bank, will present a lecture titled "Indispensable Ocean: Shepherding the Global Partnership for Oceans Blue Ribbon Panel" Dec. 6.