MARCO-BOLO Community of Practice:
MARCO-BOLO is holding its Final Stakeholder Event the afternoon of 16 November 2026 in Bruges, Belgium, back to back with the Final Project Meeting and the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity (WCMB).
This engaging and in person event will bring together project experts and key stakeholders from our Community of Practice and beyond, representing the marine and coastal biodiversity landscape – including research, policy, the blue economy, and more.
Attendees will have an opportunity to interact and exchange insights on the project’s innovations and outputs, covering topics such as next-generation ocean observation through integrated sensors for OceanEye, best practices in marine biodiversity data, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), blue carbon strategies, and upscaling observations of EOVs/EBVs.
Together, participants will shape the roadmap for the project’s enduring legacy and its contribution to EU and global ocean policies.
Attendance is by invitation only
Agenda coming soon!
For more information please contact: l.benedetti@unesco.org
Core Community of Practice members
The following are core members of MARCO-BOLO’s Community of Practice who have provided valuable guidance and input throughout the life of the project.
Current members
Abigail McQuatters-Gollop, University of Plymouth / OSPAR Convention
Andrés Mármol-Guijarro, EuropaBON / German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Frank Muller-Karger, University of South Florida / MBON
Guillaume Body, Biodiversa+ / French Office for Biodiversity (OFB)
Joana Beja, EMODnet Biology, VLIZ
Lina Mtwana Nordlund, Uppsala University / BioEco Panel / EU Horizon BioEcoOcean
Manuel Sala Perez, EuroGOOS Secretariat
Neil Holdsworth, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Mercator Ocean International / IFREMER
Past members
Inga Lipps (previously represented EuroGOOS)
Michelle Silva del Pozo (previously represented Biodiversa+ / French Office for Biodiversity)
Miguel Fernandez (previously represented EuropaBON / iDiv)