The IIES was represented at the annual Magna Meeting of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC) by Co-director Prof. Huy Dang.
Hosted at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, the Academy’s largest annual gathering brought together leading scientists from Brazil and abroad to examine the central role of the oceans in shaping the future of the planet under the theme “Ocean of Tomorrow: Science for a Planet in Balance“.
Image: Professor Huy Dang delivering a presentation at the 2026 MAGNA meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The meeting highlights the importance of the global ocean in climate regulation, supporting biodiversity, and providing resources for food, biotechnology, renewable energy, and technological advancement. The ocean also faces growing threats from overfishing, pollution, changing climate patterns, and the expansion of deep-sea resource exploration, all of which would compromise the ocean’s role in sustaining life on Earth.
There were also discussions and debates on the legal, political and social instruments to safeguard the Ocean and thus the future of Humanity.
Professor Huy Dang delivered a talk in the plenary session on “From land to ocean: The actions of the Triple Planetary Crisis”, which emphasized the interconnectedness of Earth systems and the influence of our societies on the fragile balances of almost all ecosystems. The discussion also affirmed the pressing needs and opportunities for genuine collaboration between scientists and governments to develop comprehensive partnership frameworks, as environmental and climate issues are not constrained by national boundaries.
The event was an opportunity for the IIES to demonstrate its leadership in facilitating international research and training, particularly given that several Brazilian institutions are members of the network, including the Federal University of Ceará and the National Institute of Science & Technology on Continent-Ocean Materials Transfer. Brazilian researchers and students were encouraged to participate in ongoing initiatives led by the IIES, including the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Scholar Program.
