On 23–24 September 2025, the Danish EU Presidency hosted the Mission Ocean and Waters Conference at Nyborg Strand, Denmark, bringing together leading voices from policy, science, and civil society to accelerate Europe’s commitment to restoring its aquatic ecosystems.
Deepening Mission Adoption – Achievements of the Mission Ocean so far
The conference featured a dedicated session titled “Deepening Mission Adoption – Achievements of the Mission Ocean so far”, where each Lighthouse CSA, including the EcoDaLLi project, presented their progress, challenges, and future strategies and addressed audience questions in the following panel discussion.
Strategic Roadmap to guide the Mission’s 2nd Phase
Participants included EU Commissioners, Mission Board Members, national ministers, and mission project coordinators, all contributing to the co-creation of a Strategic Roadmap that will guide the Mission’s deployment phase. The event underscored the importance of mission-driven governance, science-policy integration, and multi-level stakeholder engagement to ensure the long-term health and resilience of Europe’s oceans and waters.
Spotlight on other Danube and Black Sea Lighthouse projects
DaWetRest coordinator Ekaterina Batchvarova from the Climate, Atmosphere and Waters Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences presented the project during the workshop “Scaling Impact – Knowledge and Solutions for Mission Ocean and Waters Implementation”. That session brought together experts to share practical insights for scaling Mission Ocean and Waters solutions across Europe. It focused on replicable successes – from technical innovations and nature-based solutions to governance, community tools, and social innovations. From DaWetRest Associated Partner University of Pannonia, Viktoria Czuppon and Viola Somogyi presented their work on citizen science during the conference.
As the Mission moves into its critical implementation phase, the Danish Presidency’s conference marked a pivotal moment for aligning policy, innovation, and community action across Europe’s diverse aquatic landscapes.
