Mena Oceans

News, insights, and updates from Goumbook’s MENA Oceans Initiative; covering marine conservation, blue economies, coastal resilience, and ocean action across the Middle East and North Africa. From summit highlights to research breakthroughs and network updates, this is where the regional ocean conversation comes together.

What The First 1.5°C Year Revealed About Our Ocean

For decades, the 1.5°C milestone has anchored climate negotiations. It is the benchmark embedded in...

The First Assessment of Microplastic Contamination in Bahrain

A new peer-reviewed study published in May 2026 in the journal Sustainability provides the first comprehensive assessment...

Marine Protection in the MENA Region

Photo credit: Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi Insights on MPA progress, regional conservation frameworks, and...

How ‘weak spots’ in water infrastructure can become opportunities for more sustainable, resilient water systems in the Middle East

Author: Alicia Dauth 1. Introduction We have long relied on water infrastructure to produce, store,...

Making People Risk Decision-Relevant in Shipping

Contributed by The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (MENA Oceans Network Member) Shipping is entering a period...

Tunisia Towards 30×30: Strengthening Marine Protection towards the 30×30 target in Tunisia

Contributed by Yaprak Arda (Marine Programme Officer, IUCN Med) Tunisia is entering a decisive phase...

Grassroots of a Healthy Ocean: A Framework for Global Seagrass Monitoring

A new paper published in BioScience, “Measuring and Reporting on Seagrass as an Essential Ocean...

The Ocean Is Earth’s Oldest Network — It Is Time to Govern It as One

By Ashok Adicéam, Executive Director, Mission Neptune / Deputy Special Envoy for the Ocean (France)...

From Turning Point to Delivery: Ocean, Climate, and the MENA Moment

Contributed by Dr. Kilaparti Ramakrishna Senior Advisor to the President and Director on Ocean and Climate...

How a Tunisian Island Is Leading Seagrass Restoration in the Mediterranean

Contributed by Nada Abdelkader (Marine Ecologist; MENA Oceans Network Domain Specialist) A team of Tunisian...

An Action Plan to Save the Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin

Once common across the western Indian Ocean, the humpback dolphin now persists in small, shrinking...

Decarbonisation and Ocean Health: Insights from The MENA Maritime Programme Regional Industry Roundtable

As part of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative Global Members’ meeting in the UAE, the MENA...