Ocean Collaborations

In this episode of Ocean Collaborations, Jan Maisenbacher speaks with Janne van Erten from Ocean Cleanup about the organization’s efforts to combat plastic pollution in the oceans. They discuss the significant impact of the Ocean Cleanup’s initiatives, including the 30 Cities Program aimed at reducing plastic flow from rivers into the ocean. This isn’t just about cleaning one river; it’s a strategic move to tackle the world’s most polluting waterways across Asia and the Americas. By focusing on entire urban ecosystems, the goal is to eliminate up to one-third of plastic flowing into our oceans by 2030. It was inspiring to hear how local partnerships and community education are making this massive scale-up possible.Janne emphasizes the importance of collaboration and the need for a circular economy as well as the implications of the upcoming plastic treaty. The conversation highlights the challenges faced in ocean collaboration and the innovative approaches being taken to address plastic pollution.Turning the Tide: The energy in this conversation was truly optimistic because, for the first time, we are seeing a real shift from single projects to systemic, city-wide solutions.🚀 Why the 30 Cities Programme is a Game Changer:* It shifts the focus from isolated river cleanups to integrated, city-wide waste management solutions.* It relies on deep collaboration with local NGOs and universities to ensure long-term, sustainable impact.* It creates measurable social and environmental benefits, like restoring mangroves and creating local jobs.We also explored the vital link between circular economy collaboration and global policy. Janne highlighted that while technology is key, we need the “social technology” of collaboration to close the loop. ♻️ Building a Circular Future Together:* We need governments to set the rules so that sustainable business models can finally compete with “business as usual.”* Collaboration with industry leaders, like the partnership with Kia, shows how ocean plastic can become a valuable resource.* Success depends on building the right infrastructure today so that we aren’t just cleaning up, but preventing waste entirely.One of my favorite parts of the episode was discussing why we need new collaborative spaces. The ocean doesn’t have one “owner,” which often leads to fragmented efforts. We need safe, radical spaces where NGOs, governments, and businesses can drop their guards and work as one team. It is time to stop working in silos and start building a diverse ecosystem of change-makers who share the same urgent mission.Takeaways* Ocean Cleanup prevented almost 28 million tons of trash from reaching the ocean last year.* The 30 Cities Program aims to eliminate one third of plastics flowing into the ocean by 2030.* Collaboration with local communities is essential for effective cleanup efforts.* The plastic treaty is vital for establishing regulations and responsibilities for plastic management.* Innovative circular business models are necessary for sustainable plastic use.* Measuring impact includes environmental, social, and economic outcomes.* Collaboration with various stakeholders enhances the effectiveness of cleanup projects.Connect with Janne van Eerten on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janne-van-eerten-3b843b119/Press Release of 30 cities program (June 2025): https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/the-ocean-cleanup-launches-30-cities-program/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com

On 17 January, the BBNJ Agreement (High Seas Treaty) officially enters into force – a historic step for global ocean protection. To mark this milestone, Episode #19 of Ocean Collaborations looks at what this agreement means far beyond coastlines, with youth collaboration and equity at the center.Jan Maisenbacher speaks with Autone Mululuma (20), a passionate climate justice advocate and one of the High Seas Youth Ambassadors based in Zambia. They discuss the significance of the High Seas Treaty, youth empowerment in climate advocacy, and the challenges faced by landlocked countries in engaging with ocean issues. More about Autone (on Earthecho): https://www.earthecho.org/team/autone-mululumaAutone shares insights on the role of media, creative outreach strategies, and the importance of intergenerational collaboration in promoting ocean conservation. The conversation highlights the need for capacity building, equitable sharing of marine resources, and the aspirations of youth in shaping future ocean governance.Why this conversation matters now* 🌐 The BBNJ Agreement enables shared stewardship of the high seas* 🌊 Ocean health underpins climate stability and livelihoods everywhere* 🤝 Youth play a key role in translating policy into actionWhat you’ll take away* 👩🏽‍🎓 How African youth are shaping future ocean governance* 🗺️ Why landlocked countries matter in high seas protection* 🚀 How collaboration unlocks capacity, equity, and long-term impact📩 Get in touch with us by email at info@janmaisenbacher.com if you want to help bridge-building on Ocean Youth Collaboration in Africa (and/or connect with Autone on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/autone-mululuma-556337288) This post is public so feel free to share it.Takeaways* Time to celebrate: the High Seas Treaty is crucial for marine biodiversity.* Youth empowerment is essential for climate advocacy.* Youth can act as bridges between science, policy, and communities.* Intergenerational collaboration is vital for effective advocacy.* Media plays a key role in disseminating ocean information.* Creative outreach can connect communities to ocean issues.* Capacity building is necessary for effective ocean governance.Chapters01:00 Introduction of Autone Mululuma02:15 What Autone is inspired by Ocean Collaborations Podcast05:20 Check-in ocean replies from Autone08:15 Autones collaboration learnings as a youth campaigner13:00 Creative youth outreaches that worked in? 18:15 Learnings with the Earth Echo cohort of the High Seas Youth Ambassador20:40 Challenges in the cohort for youth ocean advocacy22:40 High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) collaboration challenges for landlocked youth27:00 BBNJ effects on landlocked Zambia (and African youth)29:00 Autones view on BBNJ North-South & South-South co-creations33:22 Personal Reflections and Future Goals34:00 Brainstorming & Call for further ocean collaboration for Youth in Zambia 📩 Get in touch with us by email at info@janmaisenbacher.com if you want to support our collaborate on Ocean Youth Collaboration in Africa (and/or connect with Autone on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/autone-mululuma-556337288) Further article: Deep conn8/ection: Why even landlocked Africans are defending the seas #OceanCollaborations #BBNJ #HighSeasTreaty #YouthLeadership #OceanGovernance #Africa #ClimateJusticeThanks for reading! Subscribe for free to stay up-to-date about future ocean collaborations episode (also available on Spotify and Apple Podcast). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com

In this Ocean Collaborations podcast episode Jan Maisenbachers surfes and dives with Karen Sack, Co‑Founder and Executive Director of the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance. This alliance is celebrating five years and keeps innovating to deliver 50 finance products by 2030 to drive $500M into nature-based solutions. Their Mission: Build the resilience of 250 million climate vulnerable costal people in the Global South.🌍Listening to Karen’s story is a masterclass in building coalitions across worldviews – and in staying resilient when the political and funding landscape feels like “whiplash”. She shares powerful, very concrete stories in radical collaboration, including:💠 How ORRAA helps design finance and insurance products:👉 Get inspired how to bring insurers, banks, governments, NGOs, scientists and coastal communities to one table – and keep them there💠ORRAA’s work with Deutsche Bank and other financial instituations on integrating ocean and nature into investment decision-making:👉 Understand how to translate “ocean & nature” into the language of risk, return, balance sheets and long‑term resilience💠 What she learned from fighting apartheid and working at Greenpeace👉 Understand how a former Greenpeace campaigner can co‑create solutions with Deutsche Bank, UBS, Swiss Re & othersKaren Sack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-sack-82aa2113/Mentioned projects from Karen in the podcast:* Abalobi - Sustainable Fishing: https://oceanriskalliance.org/project/powering-sustainable-fishing-through-community-led-technology/* Save The Waves: https://oceanriskalliance.org/project/developing-insurance-products-for-surf-ecosystems-and-surf-breaks-save-the-waves-2/* Inversa Leathers: https://oceanriskalliance.org/project/invasive-lionfish-management-quintana-roo-mexico-inversa-leathers/Karen Sack’s reflections from pre-COP30 events in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/karen-sack-82aa2113_backblue-oceanresilience-naturefinance-activity-7393642450780803072-Vhut?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAyfdasBo4hlyI6BhbXO7eWac7Eh34oe1l0Link list from ORRAA:* ORRAA website: https://oceanriskalliance.org/* ORRAA What We Do: https://oceanriskalliance.org/what-we-do/* ORRAA’s Product Pipeline: https://oceanriskalliance.org/pipeline/* The #BackBlue Ocean Finance Commitment: https://oceanriskalliance.org/project/back-blue-ocean-finance-commitment/* Deutsche Bank’s New Sustainable & Finance Transition Target: https://www.db.com/news/detail/20251117-deutsche-bank-sets-new-2030-sustainable-and-transition-finance-target-and-publishes-its-initial-transition-finance-framework?language_id=1* ORRAA’s Reflections on the COP30 Outcomes: https://oceanriskalliance.org/events/orraa-at-cop30/Thanks for reading and listening Ocean Collaborations on Subsack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.💬 Note on our own behalf - message from Ocean Collaborations podcast: Ocean Collaborations is looking for new episode guests! * Are you a leader of an ocean regeneration organisation (non-for-profit, NGO)?* Are you struggling with your regeneration projects? * Are you not finding the right manpower and/or skilled labor?Then please don’t hesitate get in touch! You may be our man or woman:Or write an email to info@janmaisenbacher.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com

In this conversation, Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the blue economy moving to a blue regenerative economy. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration and innovation and relates it to her career transition from consulting seven years ago to network and promote technology and investment in the ocean sector. The dialogue also highlights the role of women in global ocean leadership. Takeaways* Awareness of ocean issues is crucial for driving change.* Kendra’s career transition highlights the importance of passion in leadership.* Technology and innovation play a key role in ocean sustainability in her work.* Global collaboration is essential for addressing ocean challenges.Chapters00:00 Introduction of Kendra and her relation to the Ocean 04:05 Kendra as the Voice of the Ocean05:46 Her Career Transition from Corporate to Ocean08:31 Connecting and Collaborating11:50 Women in Ocean Leadership16:09 Highlights of Collaboration18:37 Global Supercluster Collaboration21:36 Barriers to Collaboration25:43 Towards a Regenerative Blue Economy29:11 Collaboration with the Global South31:19 The Need for Time and Resources33:37 Engagement with UN InitiativesKendra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendra-macdonald-40b574Canada Ocean Supercluster Webpage: https://oceansupercluster.caLinklist from Kendra:* BTCA | BlueTech Cluster Alliance: a global network of industry-led BlueTech clusters that are committed to collaboration, developing joint-projects, promoting each other’s member companies, and sharing information.* Horizon Europe the EU’s funding programme for research and innovation* AltaSea Home - AltaSea: AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles is dedicated to accelerating scientific collaboration, advancing an emerging Blue Economy through business innovation, and job creation, and inspiring the next generation, all for a more sustainable, just, and equitable world* SeaAhead: SeaAhead brings together entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and stakeholders. In just a few years, SeaAhead has grown into an open-innovation ecosystem that produces scalable commercial solutions to modern-day challenges* Global Ecosystem for Ocean Solutions (GEOS) | Ocean Visions: a transformative initiative, proudly endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. GEOS aims to accelerate collaboration across diverse sectors and geographies, fostering a globally distributed community dedicated to delivering innovative, effective, and durable solutions to the ocean-climate crisis. The GEOS program advances Ocean Visions’ mission by building and strengthening inclusive partnerships to further the development of ocean-based climate solutions internationally (webpage includes Columbia and the Patagonia cluster) * Blue Week Los Lagos | Welcu: Con la misión de posicionar la Patagonia chilena como un hub global para la Economía Azul, Blue Week Los Lagos 2025 impulsa la colaboración entre líderes de la industria, startups, inversionistas, actores públicos y privados tanto de Chile como del mundo.. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com

In episode of Ocean Collaborations, Jan Maisenbacher speaks with Martin Mohn about the critical role of collaboration and finance in ocean conservation. They discuss Martin’s journey from finance to ocean advocacy, the importance of philanthropy in funding ocean projects, and the innovative Ocean Matcher platform designed to connect ocean science projects with funders. The conversation highlights the challenges faced in ocean collaboration, the need for better tools and education for investors, and a call to action for individuals to engage in ocean impact initiatives.Takeaways* Philanthropy plays a crucial role in funding early-stage ocean projects.* Ocean Matcher connects ocean projects with the right funders using AI.* Collaboration is essential for scaling ocean conservation efforts.* Only 1% of global philanthropy is directed towards ocean initiatives.* Education on ocean literacy is needed for investors (and the public).* Success stories can inspire more funding and collaboration.* Cultural differences impact global collaboration in ocean projects.* The importance of human connection in technology-driven solutions.* Impact measurement in philanthropy is complex and varies by project.Sound bites* “We need to turn up the volume button.”* “We have to scale collaborations.”* “One person kicking off something is enough.”Chapters00:00 Introduction to Ocean Collaborations03:36 Extended check-in questions: Martin’s Journey and Motivation10:30 The Importance of Ocean Advocacy & Philanthropy’s Role in Ocean Finance18:14 Introducing Ocean Matcher 23:24 Challenges in Ocean Collaboration30:25 The Collaboration Process Explained36:25 Call to Action for Ocean ImpactConnect with Martin Styrmoe Moen on LinkedInLinklist:* www.oceanmatcher.com* www.revocean.org* www.hubocean.earth This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com

In this episode of Ocean Collaborations, Jan Maisenbacher speaks with Nicole Loeser about transdisciplinary collaboration and discover how it fuels blue transformation. Nicole Loeser is co-founder of the Institute for Art and Innovation in Berlin and director of the Futuring Alliance. With more than 20 years of experience leading 350+ transdisciplinary projects, Nicole brings a rare synthesis of art, circular economy, and systemic foresight into the ocean space.💡 If you have ever wondered how to integrate creativity, foresight, and systemic strategy into your own practice for ocean regeneration, this a bit longer than usual episode is a lighthouse!How do we reimagine our relationship with the ocean so that it is not only protected but regenerated — and how do we design the systems and collaborations that make this possible? Tune in to be inspired by the power of working together across disciplines as our conversation weaves through:* Why trust is the ultimate enabler of circular and regenerative economies.* The role of youth as co-leaders in shaping futures that are both hopeful and actionable.* How art-based foresight methods like the Art for Futures Lab and Ocean Future Lab help us imagine – and prototype – systemic solutions.* The call for a “Ministry for the Future for the Ocean”: a polycentric, collaborative hub where science, indigenous knowledge, and innovation meet.Nicole reminds us that transformation is not only technical, but cultural and civic. That it begins with creating spaces of agency where diverse voices come together — often as “unlikely allies” — to co-design futures within planetary boundaries.Nicole’s work is a living example of how bold visions can be translated into collaborative infrastructures that build resilience for people and planet alike.Connect with Nicole Loeser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-loeser-128366a/Organisations we talked about:* The Futuring Alliance (TFA) – www.futuring-alliance.com* Institute for Art and Innovation (IFAI) - www.art-innovation.orgNicoles linklist:* Nicoles PhD project: Co-Producing Social Art for Transformation - https://www.filmuniversitaet.de/en/article/detail/blue-circular-scenes-social-art-for-transformation* Ocean Future Lab - www.universal-sea.org/ocean-future-lab-eng* Sustainable Coastal Futures – www.universal-sea.org/prep-4-blue* Social Art Award 2025 „Blue Tribes for Ocean Health“(www.social-art-award.org) * The Universal Sea – www.universal-sea.org* Valencia Water Council – www.tribunaldelasaguas.org/es/* Worldforming, a system innovative framework by TFA - https://futuring-alliance.com/worldforming/* Green Education in Media – www.gem-project.eu* Global Youth Call on Peace (open from September 21) by Alliance for Youth-Led Futures - www.catalystnow.net/what-does-peace-mean-to-you* Art For Futures Lab – www.artforfutureslab.com* Token4Change - www.token4change.li This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com

In this episode of Ocean Collaborations, Jan Maisenbacher speaks with Thomas Egli about the importance of participatory science and Thomas dedicaded and decade-long impact work. Thomas and Jan share reflections from the One Ocean Science Congress, the Blue Economy and Finance Forum and 3rd UN Ocean Conference with a focus on the impact of the 10 days Ocean Hackathon. They discuss the challenges of the role of finance and the new A.G.I.L.E Framework for finance collaboration from Geneva Foundation for the Future. The conversation emphasizes the potential for positive change through innovative funding models and citizen involvement in science. Sound Bites* "Everybody wants to act together"* "We need to reinvent our models"Takeaways* Participatory science can empower citizens to take action leading to impactful solutions.* Innovative funding models are essential for sustainable projects.* The new A.G.I.L.E framework can facilitate project evaluation and selection* A whitebook about the framework is published after the summer break* There will be an event 8 to 12 December 2025 in Geneva reflecting on the 10 first use-cases of the framework* The United Nations remains a crucial platform for global cooperation.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Thomas Egli02:49 Reflections on Recent Ocean Conferences05:07 Thomas as the voice of the Ocean07:57 State of the Ocean seen by Thomas10:49 Insights from the Blue Economy and Finance Forum Monaco13:49 The Role of Participatory Science in Ocean Conservation16:45 The Impact of the Ocean Hackathon19:49 Collaboration and Citizen Involvement in Science22:56 The Future of Ocean Projects and Funding25:44 Geopolitical Perspectives on Ocean Collaboration28:33 The Role of the United Nations in Ocean Governance31:37 Innovative Funding Models for Ocean Projects34:47 The Agile Framework and Future Collaborations37:41 Conclusion and Future Directions for Ocean InitiativesAdditional links from and about Thomas Egli: * Découvrir l'impact Diplomacy: https://www.thomas-egli.org/Impact-Diplomacy-in-the-continuation-of-Scientific-Diplomacy-and-Cultural.html?lang=en* Hackathon Participatory Science for Ocean (Nice June 2025) with all projects: https://www.training-for-development.com/In-June-2025-in-Nice-Special-Participatory-Science-for-Ocean?lang=en* Geneva Forum: https://geneva-forum.com* The A.G.I.L.E tool from Geneva Foundation for the Future: https://www.geneva-for-future.foundation* Video on YouTube - Participatory Research explained by Thomas EGLI at Swiss television (French with automatic subtitles)* The book "Les idées du vivant" written in 2001 by Thomas EGLI, on the bioinspired organisations: https://thomas-egli.org/M-Thomas-EGLI.htmlThomas Egli on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-egli-genevaOcean Collaborations Podcast is now open for partnerships for organisations.Gain valuable exposure to new clients, business partners and stakeholders while showcasing your groundbreaking projects to the global ocean impact community. This is your chance to inspire action, highlight your role as a key player in ocean regeneration, and position your organization as a leader driving meaningful change. Interested? Don’t hesitate to get in touch: info@janmaisenbacher.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com