Last week, leading marine scientists, government officials, policymakers, shipping and businesspeople from North America and Europe met to discuss the critical problems facing the world’s oceans, and how to address them on international levels. Afterward, a panel discussed the main ideas and plans for moving forward at a press briefing.

With the oceans facing increasing damage from overfishing, noise, pollution and acidification, participants aimed to find ways to balance economic growth with environmental interests. On a practical level, they discussed steps toward establishing a European ocean commission, to be linked with the existing U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. Panels covered topics ranging from transportation, drilling and fisheries to biodiversity and climate change. The gathering, “Developing a New International Architecture for Maritime Policy,” was held at Columbia University, and organized by the Draeger Foundation, Luebeck, Germany. Cooperative partners were: The Earth Institute, Columbia University; the Cluster of Excellence ‘The Future Ocean’, Kiel, Germany; and GEOMAR | Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany.