Parliamentary Ocean Evening in Berlin: Ocean policy must be advanced through joint efforts

The 5th Parliamentary Ocean Evening on 16 April 2026 organised by the German Ocean Foundation at the Zeiss Großplanetarium in Berlin sent a clear political message: the protection and sustainable use of the ocean must be much better coordinated in Germany at both national and international levels. Moving forward, the issue of the ocean must feature more regularly and with greater commitment on the political agenda of the German Bundestag, transcending party and ministerial boundaries.

The focus of the evening was the mid-term review of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). Representatives from politics, science and civil society unanimously emphasised that the importance of the ocean for the climate, biodiversity, food security, the economy and global stability is still not sufficiently reflected in political action in Germany.

The evening’s high-profile political line-up sent a strong message, highlighting the ocean’s growing importance as a strategic issue for the future. Johann Saathoff, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, emphasised in his speech: “The sea is the foundation of our lives, from the oxygen we breathe to the fish we eat. We must protect this treasure. The UN Decade of Ocean Science is vital to this. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is committed worldwide to protecting marine ecosystems and improving the living conditions of coastal communities.”

A high-profile panel comprising Johann Saathoff, Marcel Bauer (Member of the German Bundestag), Karin Kortmann (DGVN) and Dr Daniel Dahm (United Sustainability) discussed the specific steps required to achieve the goals of the UN Decade of Ocean Science in Germany.

Frank Schweikert, Chairman of the German Ocean Foundation, drew a clear conclusion:
“The most important takeaway from this evening is that politicians must cooperate much more effectively on ocean issues, both nationally and internationally. Marine conservation and sustainable use of the oceans must not remain a niche issue for individual ministries or political parties, but must be addressed regularly and with a binding commitment in the Bundestag.”

You can view the recording of the event here.