At the core of a global effort to safeguard our coastal and marine ecosystems, the GES4SEAS project has spent the past year making substantial strides towards its mission. With a relentless dedication to informing and guiding marine governance, GES4SEAS aims to minimize human pressures and their consequential impacts on marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, while ensuring the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services.

Over the past year, the project has made a significant progress towards achieving its goals, with an impressive total of 13 scientific articles already published. These articles span the full spectrum of marine science, ranging from investigations into the ecological impact of non-indigenous species in marine waters to conceptual models that aid in the assessment of offshore wind farm developments. They delve deep into the interconnected world of marine ecosystem services, integrated management, and ecological status assessments. The project’s commitment to holistic understanding is further deepened by its evaluations of demersal fisheries, ecological indicators, and the complex interplay between European Blue Economy ambitions and environmental visions.

Moreover, GES4SEAS does not limit its scope to European waters alone. It ventures into global issues, shedding light on the consequences of light pollution resulting from large-scale human celebrations, while also revisiting the challenges posed by marine invasive alien species in Europe, nine years after the IAS Regulation.

In the span of just one year, GES4SEAS has made substantial contributions to marine governance and environmental conservation. With the project’s second year upon us, the GES4SEAS team promises even more impactful insights and actions to protect the oceans we all depend on.