Schedule & Events

The Ocean Visions Biennial Summit 2023 (OVS23) program is designed for a multidisciplinary community to share knowledge and advance real solutions to the twinned ocean and climate crises. The Summit will be highly interactive, with a mix of session types such as plenaries, lightning presentations, posters, an innovation showcase, managed networking opportunities. Both in-person and virtual attendance options are being offered, with all plenary sessions streamed. Space is limited so register now!

View the program

The Ocean Visions Biennial Summit 2023 (OVS23) meeting platform is your one-stop shop to view the schedule, locations, speakers, and sessions descriptions for the April meeting. The platform not only brings you the most up-to-date live conference information, but also gives the chance to:

• View on-demand recordings of sessions. Any updates to the program will be made in the platform and highlights of the program include: 
• See interactive session types such as quick talks, lightning presentations, posters, and an innovation showcase
• Find structured networking topics
• Find information on small group discussions, panels, oral sessions and 
• Learn about OVS plenary speakers:
  • Ocean-Based Solutions in a Global Context: Keynote address from Dr. Jullie Pullen, Propeller
  • Keynote address from Dr. Peter De Menocal, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Dr. Kate Moran, Ocean Networks Canada
  • Keeping all the parts: Marine Ecosystem Repair Plenary by Oliver Morton, The Economist and Kelly Wanser, SilverLining
  • Introduction and Keynote by A.R. Siders, Gerard J. Mangone Climate Change Science and Policy Hub, University of Delaware

access the platform

Online attendees will be able to view all sessions in the Arctic/Pacific Ballroom live or watch later as on-demand content. Online attendees will also have access to recorded content from all sessions in the Atlantic Ballroom.

Find information on what sessions are included as an Online Participant.

The program will be structured around five core topical tracks:

• Ocean-Based Contributions to Global Decarbonization: This track will focus on the ocean’s potential contributions to low or zero carbon energy, food, transport, and materials. Speakers and sessions will dive into various opportunities for ocean-based decarbonization, current state of play, and the challenges and obstacles.

• Ocean-Based Contributions to Carbon Dioxide Removal: This track will feature the latest innovations and issues from practitioners advancing ocean-based pathways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as well as those working to build related governance systems and monitoring frameworks that can ensure R&D is done in a responsible and equitable manner.

• Ocean Ecosystem Repair and Regeneration:  This track will explore what ocean conservation might look like in the mid-21^st century as the climate crisis intensifies and ecosystems approach tipping points. Speakers will address the urgent need to identify, assess, and evaluate interventions potentially capable of prolonging and/or regenerating the function of critical components of the ocean-climate system, such as Arctic sea ice, coral reefs, and continental ice sheets. A session on the ethics of this field will also be stimulating!

• Human Adaptation to a Changing Ocean: This track will explore the array of responses necessary to support human adaptation to a changing ocean, such as managed retreat, reinventing coastal ocean livelihoods, increasing coastal resilience to dangerous events, living with sea level rise, and coastal habitat and species restoration/rewilding.  

• Building a Global Community of Solvers at the Ocean-Climate Nexus: This track will feature the social, technological, and economic innovations and solutions required to expand a global community of solvers at the ocean-climate nexus. Experts will discuss breaking down barriers, catalyzing an aligned community, and leveraging digital platforms to build communities.

Other types of sessions include:

• Innovation Showcase - Startups will present innovative solutions addressing problems at the ocean-climate nexus in short presentations followed by the opportunity for closer interactions.
• Quick Talks - Participants will present their solutions-focused research, ideas for collaboration etc. in short 10 minute talks.
• Poster Presentations - Participants will present their solutions-focused research. This will include time for a quick lightning talk and interaction.
• Side Events - Longer sessions driven completely by conference participants on topics at the ocean-climate nexus.
• Managed Networking - Structured networking sessions with opportunities for participants to build their own small networking event.