In a landmark decision at IUCN’s 2025 World Conservation Congress, motion 056 Advancing an Ethical Human-Ocean Relationship - was passed with amendments, marking a shift in how ocean governance is framed globally. The motion calls on IUCN members and stakeholders to move beyond traditional conservation tools and adopt ethical, values-based and rights-based approaches toward oceans. The motion emphasises that humanity depends on the health, integrity and ecological processes of the ocean. It highlights Rights of Nature as a legal framework: recognising oceans not simply as resources, but as an entity with intrinsic value. IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. The motion will be guiding IUCN’s future policy and organizational direction. Its passage signals growing momentum inside the global conservation community for rethinking ocean governance—not just through regulation and protected areas, but thro

Representatives of European water bodies - including seas, rivers, lakes, wetlands, lagoons, and glaciers - came together in Amsterdam and Bergen aan Zee for the third edition of the Confluence of European Water Bodies. The four-day programme (21–24 September 2025) was an interdisciplinary gathering seeking new ways to represent water in legal, cultural, and political arenas. As one of the more than 35 participating ecosystems, the Baltic Sea is part of a larger network of rivers, seas and lakes rethinking water governance across Europe. For the Embassy of the Baltic Sea, participation in Confluence offers an opportunity for environmental diplomacy, cultural exchange, and collaborative future-planning. "Meeting other representatives of waterbodies in the Confluence showed me the power and engagement to protect our waters in the waterbodies represented here. Many are far ahead to push for legal rights and that motivates us in our engagement", says Anne Marie Flood, member of the Baltic

The official ceremony of the newest National Park of Sweden was held the 7th of September at the island of Bullerö. Beautiful weather and many invited to the event. The Embassy of the Baltic Sea was represented by founder Lena Kautsky and Anne Marie Flood. The Swedish minister of the Enviroment - Romina Pourmokhtari rang the bell after a speach to declare the National Park opened.

Embassy of the Baltic Sea presents the exhibition Showing up as the Baltic Sea: Speak for the Sea. Seven artists have created masks embodying the beings of the Baltic Sea.

The first swedish marine national park in the Baltic Sea is established in the archipelago of Stockholm, September 5. The Embassy of the Baltic Sea will participate with the exhibition Showing up as the Baltic Sea, featuring masks of creatures from the sea. This is a reminder of the necessity for more-than-human beings to have their voices heard. There will be activities both at Bullerö in the outer archipelago and in Gustavsbergs Kulturhus in the inner archipelago, August 30 - September 13. Programme at Bullerö (book your seat for boat transportation!) Programme in Gustavsberg Photo from Hallskär in the new national park, July 2025.

Pella Thiel, founding member of the Embassy of the Baltic Sea, has been recognized by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN) for her work. GARN is a network of organizations and individuals committed to the universal adoption and implementation of legal systems that recognize, respect and enforce the Rights of Nature. They write: "Pella is a long-standing champion of the Rights of Nature who continues to break new ground in both advocacy and storytelling. Her latest initiative, the podcast On the Rights of Nature, lifts up the voices behind the global movement: the thinkers, lawyers, and grassroots defenders who are transforming our relationship with the natural world. The show invites listeners into conversations that deepen our collective understanding of Nature’s legal standing and cultural significance. At the same time, Pella is helping to establish the Embassy of the Baltic Sea, a new platform to recognize the Baltic as a legal entity with inherent rights. This tran