German marine policy

Sustainable ocean governance is the lever from which important decisions can and must be made to create a viable framework for the ocean for the benefit of humanity now and in the future.

Our political activities are based on dialogue and transparency. Only through dialogue is it possible to persuade the necessary political majorities to take sustainable ocean action. The most important thing is that all those who make decisions about the ocean understand it because the interdisciplinary relationships between humankind and the ocean are complex, with constant updates from the scientific community that must be take onboard and incorporated into our discussions. The aim must be to use the latest scientific evidence, coupled with the best technologies available in order to make humans a sustainable and reliable part of the system of natural cycles. 

The fact that over 16 ministries and authorities have competence for the sea in Germany shows the complexity and multi-faceted nature of the issue. In view of different party and lobby interests, it is almost impossible to establish a uniform, goal-oriented, sensible and, above all, sustainable marine policy that transcends party boundaries. 

Our major survey on ocean awareness conducted in 2024 in Germany showed that neither experts, civil society nor politicians have sufficient knowledge of the ocean. In addition, there is a confusion of responsibilities for the sea, which overlap in some areas but are not regulated at all in others - for example, there is no clear responsibility for the waste that floats into the sea via our rivers.

The well-being of our society, the competitiveness of our economy and the health of our ocean and waters are closely linked. It is therefore our vision to work towards a sustainable ocean policy, in line with the message of Elisabeth Mann Borgese, who described the ocean as the "common heritage of humankind". With this in mind, we must align future political strategies for the ocean on both a national and international scale. The protection and conservation of the ocean as the planet’s largest ecosystem must be at the forefront, in Germany, Europe and throughout the world. 

For a life-supporting ocean of the future, we need to develop sustainable forms of economy because everything on our planet is part of a cycle, from the smallest organelle in a cell to the entire planet. Only if we learn from these natural cycles and align our lives accordingly can we maintain health and prosperity. To achieve this, it is also important to steer global financial flows in a direction that is beneficial to life. Investors must learn to understand how natural cycles work and sustain our lives and which investments are sustainable for our planet and therefore also for our ocean. Happiness, health and a perspective for the future are the returns on sustainable political and economic action.