On 14 and 15 October 2026, a specialist workshop will take place in Berlin on the carbon storage potential of seagrass ecosystems in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The aim is to strengthen collaboration between ongoing research and funding projects, as well as to systematically compare methods, data sets and findings to date.

The focus will be on two key areas: the modelling of carbon dynamics and the role of eutrophication. 

Through cross-project input and structured discussions, different modelling approaches will be compared, strengths and weaknesses analysed, and commonalities identified. In parallel, the workshop will examine how eutrophication is addressed in the projects and what significance it holds for carbon sequestration and the effectiveness of measures.

Developing recommendations for action

The second day of the workshop is dedicated to developing recommendations for action. Building on the outcomes of the discussions, suitable modelling approaches for policy and management-related issues will be identified, uncertainties and data gaps highlighted, and best practices formulated. In the area of eutrophication, the focus will be particularly on governance approaches, interactions and conflicting objectives.

A key outcome of the workshop is the joint development of key messages and recommendations for policy and practice. These will form the basis for a planned policy brief, which will be developed in close collaboration with the participating projects.

Interested parties have the opportunity to submit a contribution for one of the two thematic blocks via a registration form; this is possible until 30 August 2026. The workshop language is German.

The workshop thus creates a structured framework for pooling scientific findings, assessing their transferability and strengthening their relevance for political decision-making processes. The preliminary outline of the workshop can be found below.