15th Environmental Dialogue: Our Oceans – Limits of Balance

The oceans are not only fascinating habitats, but also key regulators of our global climate and food systems. However, they are under enormous pressure: the sheer size of the oceans has long ensured their stability – but this limit now seems to have been reached. Climate change, CO₂ emissions, overfishing, plastic waste, and noise pollution are increasingly throwing marine ecosystems out of balance. The oceans are increasingly becoming the focus of geopolitical interests and are turning into a zone of conflict: over resources, trade routes, and protective measures.

This event brings together scientific and political perspectives to shed light on the complex challenges of marine conservation. The central question is: How can we effectively protect marine biodiversity—locally, in Europe, and globally—and thus also secure the basis for our climate?

The following questions will also be discussed:

• Why do the oceans affect us in Austria at all?
• What political instruments and agreements exist—and what are their limitations? What role do international treaties play in protecting the oceans?
• How do climate change and pollution affect marine ecosystems? And what influence does the health of marine ecosystems have on climate change?
• How can scientific knowledge be translated into concrete protective measures?
• What structural changes are needed to protect the oceans? Are there levers that each individual can use to take action?

Key Information

When: June 16, 2026, doors open at 5:30 p.m., start: 6:00 p.m.
Where: Upper Dome Hall, Natural History Museum Vienna, main entrance – Maria-Theresien-Platz, 1010 Vienna
Event language: German

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