25/10/2024 | "Science cannot take decisions away from politics, but it can and must provide us with its rational findings as a basis for our decisions," emphasised Mayor Dr Andreas Bovenschulte in his welcoming address at the Parliamentary Evening of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM) on 21 October 2024 in Bremen. With these words, he opened an event that emphasised the importance of marine research for politics in the state of Bremen. Around 100 guests from politics, science, business and organised civil society accepted the invitation from the German Marine Research Alliance to gather information and engage in dialogue.
Oceans in a changing climate: opportunities for climate protection and challenges posed by new risks for coastal regions
The scientific part of the evening offered insights into current research results from the DAM research missions CDRmare and mareXtreme. Prof. Dr Martin Zimmer from the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) emphasised that the reduction of greenhouse gases alone is no longer sufficient to achieve the Paris climate targets and, in this context, presented the potential of ‘blue carbon’, i.e. marine carbon stores, for climate protection (sea4soCiety, a joint project of CDRmare). Prof Dr Achim Kopf (MARUM, University of Bremen), co-spokesperson of the mareXtreme research mission launched in January, demonstrated the role of networking with society and technology transfer in research activities on extreme marine events and natural hazards. Dr Katja Metfies (Alfred Wegener Institute) used the mareXtreme joint project Primeprevention to explain which methods are being developed to predict marine biological hazards (including to human health) and the extent to which this is meeting society's need for information in this area.
The panel discussion with experts from science, politics, business and nature conservation emphasised the complex interrelationships of marine ecosystems and highlighted the urgent need for inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation in order to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for marine conservation. Taking part in the discussion were:
- Kathrin Moosdorf, Senator for Environment, Climate and Science Bremen
- Katja Metfies, Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
- Klaus Michels, FUGRO Germany Marine GmbH, and
- Finn Viehberg, WWF Germany.
Discovering knowledge about the oceans: Two new DAM transfer portals launched
Another highlight of the evening was the official launch of the two new transfer portals Seas Online and Interactive World Ocean, which was given by Senator Moosdorf herself: ‘The DAM pools scientific findings and makes German marine research visible both nationally and internationally. At the same time, it demonstrates solutions as to how we can tackle the climate crisis and marine pollution in a very concrete way and deal with our oceans in a more sustainable way. The DAM makes it clear: we can do something! Through targeted transfer programmes, these findings also reach politicians, companies and society,’ says Moosdorf. Further information and access to the two portals at www.meereonline.de and www.weltozean.de.
Afterwards, a get-together offered guests the opportunity to discuss various exhibits from DAM member institutions, among other things. For example, they were able to visit the research vessel Polarstern using 3D virtual reality glasses.
The evening in the ceremonial hall of Bremen City Hall emphasised the importance of transdisciplinary exchange between science, politics, business and nature conservation in order to develop viable concepts for the sustainable use and protection of marine resources, with scientific findings, for example on storm surges, serving as a basis for informed decisions and practical options for action.
Further information on the programme the parliamentary evening and further impressions of the event.