Ocean-human health connections on the spotlight at international conference in Lisbon

On December 11–12, 2025, the AIR Centre, represented by Deputy Executive Director Mafalda Carapuço, attended the International Conference on Ocean and Human Health, in Lisbon. Hosted by the Portuguese National Committee for the Ocean Decade, the conference aimed to explore the critical connections between ocean and human health, examining both the benefits and risks that marine environments pose to human wellbeing. Sessions addressed topics ranging from ocean benefits for mental and physical health, marine natural products for drug development, and the ocean-climate nexus, to emerging threats including marine pollution, harmful algal blooms, microplastics, and climate change impacts on coastal communities.

The event brought together a diverse international community of experts from marine sciences, medicine, health and social sciences, alongside policymakers, private sector representatives, and civil society organizations. Discussions emphasized transdisciplinary approaches to understanding and addressing ocean-human health connections, contributing to the vision of the UN Ocean Decade for a healthy ocean and healthy humankind.

The conference was organized in partnership with the National Ocean Decade Committees of Belgium, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the Monaco Scientific Center, the Portuguese Committee for the IOC, the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, the Portuguese Maritime Academy, and the Portuguese Council for Health and the Environment. The event is endorsed as an official activity of the UN Ocean Decade.

This initiative is aligned with AIR Centre's commitment to advancing ocean science and fostering international collaboration on critical issues affecting ocean health and human wellbeing in the Atlantic region.