From 13 to 16 May 2025, the IMBeR Synthesis and Future Planning Conference (Future Oceans 3, FO3) was successfully held in Shanghai & Online. The FO3 brought together 306 participants from 129 affiliations across 28 countries and regions. Participants from diverse fields - such as marine science, climate change, and ecological conservation - joined both online and in person. These included senior researchers, strategic experts, representatives of international organisations, early-career scientists, and policymakers.

Since 2016, IMBeR has been committed to understanding, quantifying and comparing the historic and present structure and functioning of linked ocean and human systems to predict and project changes including developing scenarios and options for securing or transitioning towards ocean sustainability. Guided by the theme "Look Inward, Look Outward, Look Forward," this conference aimed to:

• Reflecting on IMBeR’s scientific achievements over the past decade (2016-2025).
• Reviewing IMBeR’s interactions with relevant scientific projects, programs, organizations, and initiatives.
• Envisioning the future of marine biosphere research post-IMBeR.

Focusing on Three Grand Challenges and Highlighting Key Findings

Three keynote sessions were organised by the International Organising Committee around IMBeR’s Grand Challenges:

• Understanding multi-stressors of marine environments and achievements and challenges from ecosystem resilience and environmental management
• Achievements from IMBeR Grand Challenge 2 and opportunities for IMBeR 3.0: from scenarios, predictions and projections to actions, solutions and interventions
• Blue Transformations: Governance for the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus

Invited speakers included Jacob Carstensen (Aarhus University), Marisol García-Reyes (Farallon Institute), Hongbin Liu (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Julia Blanchard (University of Tasmania), Elvira Poloczanska (Plymouth Marine Laboratory), Gerald Singh (University of Victoria), William Cheung (University of British Columbia), Edward H Allison (WorldFish), and Prateep Kumar Nayak (University of Waterloo). The speakers delivered keynote talks on topics such as ocean ecosystem dynamics and the impacts of climate change. Their insights and visions guided discussions exploring potential directions for the post-IMBeR phase.

Representatives from IMBeR's regional programmes, working groups, and endorsed projects gave invited presentations on a wide range of topics, including Raleigh R. Hood (SIBER), Heidi Pethybridge (CLIOTOP), Emma Cavan (ICED), Naomi Harada (ESSAS), Su Mei Liu (CMWG), Annette Breckwoldt (HDWG), Sam Dupont (SIOA), Eugene Murphy (Action Plan for the Ocean), Hiroaki Saito (CREPSUM), Shan Jiang (IPR), and Young-Je Park (OC-PC).

Strategic Partnership Session:

Advancing Cross-Project Collaboration and Innovation

The IMBeR Strategic Partnership Session was jointly convened by GiHoon Hong, Strategic Director of the IMBeR International Project Office, and Executive Officer Fang Zuo. The session focused on recognizing interfaces and building synergies with relevant projects and UN Ocean Decade Programmes. Marie-Alexandrine Sicre, Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, was invited to deliver a keynote speech. She systematically introduced the progress achieved by the academic and policy communities under the under the framework of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. She particularly emphasized the need for strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration, public engagement, and the development of innovative tools and partnership frameworks in response to global challenges such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

A roundtable discussion followed, with contributions from representatives of relevant international scientific programmes, including Kenneth M. Y. Leung (Global Estuaries Monitoring Programme, GEM), Weiguo Zhang (Mega-Delta Programme), Liping Zhou (Past Global Changes, PAGES), Xiaoyu Fang (Future Earth Coasts, FEC), Giovanni Avila-Flores (FEC IPO for Latin America and the Caribbean), William Miller (Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study, SOLAS), Yassir Eddebbar (Climate and Ocean: Variability, Predictability and Change, CLIVAR).



The discussion emphasized the need for closer dialogue among disciplines to support integrated understanding of Earth system processes. It echoed the strategic direction of the International Science Council’s "Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue" and laid the groundwork for future joint efforts to identify emerging challenges, assess collaborative models, and build a more connected and sustainable cross-project partnership network.

Interdisciplinary Sessions and Youth Engagement

Eight parallel theme sessions were organised on key topics such as marine governance, island biodiversity, coastal blue carbon ecosystems, ecosystem-social interactions, optical remote sensing in the Northwest Pacific and the Central Indo-Pacific Oceans, international research and educational collaboration for sustainable tropical and subtropical marine ecosystems, and SIBER and the Second International Indian Ocean Expedition. A total of 65 presentations were delivered, and 55 posters were displayed.

The IMBeR Interdisciplinary Marine Early Career Network (IMECaN) hosted a youth event reflecting on its achievements since 2016, including international collaboration, training opportunities, and leadership development. A Doctoral Forum, made possible by a dedicated SCOR Travel Support Grant, provided a platform for doctoral students to present their research and engage in peer learning. Topics included the impacts of ocean acidification on coral reefs, nutrient and organic carbon dynamics, mangrove degradation, women’s roles in the blue economy, microplastic impacts, and potential carbon sinks.

To recognise outstanding student contributions, the conference awarded one Best Oral Presentation (Doctoral Forum), four Outstanding Student Poster Awards, and one Best Student Poster Award. The Best Oral Presentation was awarded to Gisele Flodore Ghepdeu Youbouni; the Outstanding Student Poster Awards were presented to Shiqing Sun, Liuting Yuan, Lea Teresa Ines Angelo, and Shuwei Pu; and the Best Student Poster Award went to Huayu Chen.

Open Discussion and International Collaboration in Marine Science

In the closing session, experts held in-depth discussions on six key topics:

• Land/ocean/climate & pollutants nexus and tipping points in coastal ecosystems / mitigation
• Integrative Interventions: Climate Mitigation (nature-based solutions)
• Climate change mitigation through nature-based solutions
• Connecting and Synthesizing Across Regional Programs
• Data Management for Synthesis and Action
• Governing blue transitions (ocean-land) 

The discussions showcased the potential of interdisciplinary and international cooperation and provided valuable insights for IMBeR’s strategic planning. 

Field Visit to Chongming Island:

Exploring Ecological Practice and Sustainability

On 16 May, a field visit to Chongming Island was organised by the Institute of Eco-Chongming. Participants visited key sites, including Xisha Wetland Park, the Chongming Planning Exhibition Hall, the Chinese Sturgeon Base, and research stations of the Institute of Eco-Chongming. The visit focused on wetland restoration, ecological planning, endangered species conservation, and low-carbon development, offering insights into Chongming’s achievements as a model for ecological protection. The visit also provided inspiration for future collaboration and innovation in global marine ecological research.

This conference was jointly supported by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Future Earth, East China Normal University (ECNU), State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research of ECNU, Institute of Eco-Chongming of ECNU, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences of ECNU, Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions, Ocean Decade Mega-Delta Programme, Future Earth Coasts, and the journal Anthropocene Coasts.

We, the International and Local Organising Committees, extend our sincere thanks to all participating experts, partner institutions, and the volunteer team for their contributions to the success of the event.

We sincerely thank the journals Anthropocene Coasts, Elsevier, and Frontiers in Marine Science for their support and active participation in the conference. We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to our exhibitors - Suzhou NanoPure Scientific Instrument & Equipment Co., Ltd., PerkinElmer Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Yiwin Instrument & Equipment Co., Ltd. - for their valuable contributions, which greatly enhanced the overall conference experience.

Session Reports

Reports from the parallel theme sessions of the IMBeR Future Oceans 3 Conference are now available. These reports provide concise summaries of the key topics discussed, scientific insights shared, and outcomes of each session.

We sincerely thank all session convenors, moderators, and rapporteurs for their invaluable contributions and strong support in making these sessions a success.

We invite you to explore the reports and revisit the diverse and inspiring discussions that took place during the conference.

Reports: 

Session 4 | Session 5 | Session 6 | Session 8 | 

Session 9 | Session 11 | Session 12 | Session 13 | 

IMBeR Doctoral Forum

Feedback from Awardees

Lea Teresa I. Angelo



Attending the FO3 Conference was a valuable experience that allowed me to showcase our laboratory’s research and engage with experts in the field. I appreciated how the conference highlighted the interconnectivity of scientific research with social and economic factors, providing a well-rounded perspective. Overall, the event enriched my understanding and will greatly benefit my future career in research.

From the FO3 Conference, I gained valuable insights into the importance of integrating interdisciplinary approaches - combining natural sciences with social and economic perspectives - in marine carbon research. The emphasis on innovative methodologies and modelling techniques for understanding carbon cycling and ecosystem responses inspired me to explore new tools that could enhance the accuracy and scope of my own research on carbon sequestration. Additionally, the conference highlighted potential collaborations and emerging research directions, particularly in monitoring marine carbon dynamics and assessing the impacts of multiple stressors, which I plan to incorporate to advance both the scientific and practical aspects of my work.

Shiqing Sun



The meeting was well-organized. Many foreign scientists were invited to share their latest scientific progress, which was inspiring to others. The oral presentation by Prof. Wen-Chen Chou impressed me the most, as his talk provided a clear review that helped the audience easily understand his research focus and current work. I learned a lot about how other scientists approach the topic of ‘blue carbon’, which helped me decide what I can do in this field.

Gisele Flodore Ghepdeu Youbouni



It was a great experience taking part in IMBeR Future Oceans 3. I really appreciate the conference organization, engagement of participants, and relevant discussions. IMBeR Future Oceans 3 was a place to develop global thinking, develop ideas, and build on experience. It was a surprise to be chosen as the moderator for up to three sessions. I really engaged in the session activities during the conference. These sessions also served as a training opportunity for me.

Among the various sessions and presentations I attended, several stood out to me due to their relevance to my academic interests and professional aspirations. Session 3, "Blue Transformations: Governance for the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus", was particularly impactful.

It was clear to me that we should identify resources that grow, resources that decline, and also where conflicts exist. Secondly, we should co-produce, co-design, and co-create. We should think beyond borders – for example, mariculture which does not depend on fishmeal and oil, and which is more climate resilient. Based on the identified resources that grow in the natural environment, we should start thinking about how to include potential new food in our dietary habits and identify potential new sources of nutrients. We should think of systems transformations – transforming discards into resources. I linked that idea to jellyfish abundance in coastal areas, which can become a source of nutrients for local communities.

Within this session, it was also emphasized that we should collectively reflect on and decide how to tackle our common problems. This allowed me to visualize the Central Africa region entering global dialogues such as the one going on with IMBeR.

As a moderator of three sessions dealing with ocean sensing at the conference, I discovered that I could use datasets from repositories to better explain my ideas to my audience. Based on that, I started downloading datasets from repositories, which will help me in future directions of my research journey.

Congratulations to these outstanding early-career researchers for their contributions! Thank you for joining the conference and bringing fresh perspectives and energy to the discussions.

Access to Conference Photos and Recordings

We are pleased to inform you that the conference recordings have been uploaded and are now available on Whova. Whova site willl be available until 16 August 2025 - Go to the Agenda to watch the recordings.

To download conference photos, please scan the QR code in the Photo Gallery section.

Important Notes:

The recordings are exclusively available to registered participants.

Only those with access through Whova can view the videos.

Please do not share or publicly disclose the video links or recordings.

All recordings will be permanently deleted by the Secretariat after 16 August 2025.

Any sharing of images or videos must not include identifiable content from presentations or posters without the presenter's explicit consent. Please respect the privacy and intellectual property of all participants.

Capturing IMBeR: Share Your Photos and Memories

We invite all IMBeR participants - past and present - to contribute photos that capture the spirit of IMBeR’s activities over the years. Whether from fieldwork, meetings, workshops, summer schools, or community engagement events, your photos will help illustrate IMBeR’s impact and legacy.

Please send high-resolution images, along with a brief description and credit information, to imber@ecnu.edu.cn.

Contact us: imber@ecnu.edu.cn