ACTNOW at One Ocean Week: Future scenarios for the Barents Sea

This week, the ACTNOW project contributed to the international dialogue at One Ocean Week in Bergen, a key meeting point for ocean science, policy, and society.

Representing ACTNOW, Cecilie Hansen from the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) presented the Barents Sea case study, developed in collaboration with Raul Primicerio from UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

The presentation focused on the development of future scenarios for the Barents Sea, a region undergoing rapid environmental change. By integrating ecological modelling with scenario-based approaches, the research explores how cumulative pressures -such as climate change and shifting ecosystem dynamics- may shape biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and marine resources in the coming decades.

The work presented at One Ocean Week reflects ACTNOW’s broader mission: to better understand and anticipate the combined impacts of multiple stressors on marine ecosystems, and to translate this knowledge into actionable insights for policy and management.

Cecilie Hansen’s contribution was met with strong interest and constructive feedback, highlighting the relevance of scenario-based approaches in supporting decision-making under uncertainty. As marine systems continue to transform, such tools are essential to inform adaptive, ecosystem-based strategies in regions as dynamic and vulnerable as the Barents Sea.

Through its participation in One Ocean Week, ACTNOW reinforces the importance of connecting scientific research with international dialogue, contributing to a more integrated and forward-looking approach to ocean governance.