On July 2, 2026, Dr. Stella Apostolaki, Executive Director of the Center of Excellence in Sustainability at The American College of Greece, and Dr. Alexia Polissidis, Fellow of the Center of Excellence in Sustainability and Director of Research Grants at ACG, attended the 11th Our Ocean Conference on behalf of The American College of Greece. Following the conference, Dr. Apostolaki was invited to brief the Hellenic Parliament’s Subcommittee on Water Resources of the Special Standing Committee on Environmental Protection on its key takeaways.
Held under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future,” the conference brought together more than 5,000 delegates and representatives from 104 countries and organizations, reaffirming its role as one of the world’s leading platforms for international ocean governance. This year’s conference resulted in 320 new commitments, mobilizing US$6.4 billion in funding to support marine conservation, sustainable development, scientific research, and climate resilience.
Among the institutions presenting new commitments, The American College of Greece announced two research initiatives aimed at advancing ocean sustainability. The first focuses on further developing nature-based solutions to strengthen coastal resilience against climate change and coastal hazards. The second aims to strengthen ocean-related research and women’s participation in marine science through the FemmeSTEM initiative of the Center of Excellence in Sustainability, encouraging greater female representation in STEM fields connected to the marine environment.
During her briefing to the Hellenic Parliament, Dr. Apostolaki highlighted some of the conference’s most important outcomes, including the expansion of Marine Protected Areas, the implementation of the High Seas Treaty, the continued international discussion around deep-sea mining safeguards, the protection of climate-resilient coral reefs, and the adoption of the Mombasa Declaration to strengthen fisheries transparency and combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing.
A defining feature of this year’s conference was its strong emphasis on the role of local communities in achieving healthy and resilient oceans. Participants highlighted that effective marine conservation depends not only on international agreements and funding commitments, but also on empowering coastal communities that rely directly on marine ecosystems. The discussions also underscored the importance of strong governance, long-term monitoring, scientific research, and cross-sector collaboration in turning global ocean goals into measurable progress.
The next Our Ocean Conference will take place in Halifax, Canada, from May 9 to 11, 2027. Through its participation and commitments, The American College of Greece continues to contribute to international dialogue and research on sustainability, ocean protection, and climate resilience.
