In this episode of Ocean Collaborations, Jan Maisenbacher speaks with Thomas Egli about the importance of participatory science and Thomas dedicaded and decade-long impact work. Thomas and Jan share reflections from the One Ocean Science Congress, the Blue Economy and Finance Forum and 3rd UN Ocean Conference with a focus on the impact of the 10 days Ocean Hackathon. They discuss the challenges of the role of finance and the new A.G.I.L.E Framework for finance collaboration from Geneva Foundation for the Future. The conversation emphasizes the potential for positive change through innovative funding models and citizen involvement in science.
Sound Bites
"Everybody wants to act together"
"We need to reinvent our models"
Takeaways
Participatory science can empower citizens to take action leading to impactful solutions.
Innovative funding models are essential for sustainable projects.
The new A.G.I.L.E framework can facilitate project evaluation and selection
A whitebook about the framework is published after the summer break
There will be an event 8 to 12 December 2025 in Geneva reflecting on the 10 first use-cases of the framework
The United Nations remains a crucial platform for global cooperation.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Thomas Egli
02:49 Reflections on Recent Ocean Conferences
05:07 Thomas as the voice of the Ocean
07:57 State of the Ocean seen by Thomas
10:49 Insights from the Blue Economy and Finance Forum Monaco
13:49 The Role of Participatory Science in Ocean Conservation
16:45 The Impact of the Ocean Hackathon
19:49 Collaboration and Citizen Involvement in Science
22:56 The Future of Ocean Projects and Funding
25:44 Geopolitical Perspectives on Ocean Collaboration
28:33 The Role of the United Nations in Ocean Governance
31:37 Innovative Funding Models for Ocean Projects
34:47 The Agile Framework and Future Collaborations
37:41 Conclusion and Future Directions for Ocean Initiatives
Additional links from and about Thomas Egli:
Découvrir l'impact Diplomacy: https://www.thomas-egli.org/Impact-Diplomacy-in-the-continuation-of-Scientific-Diplomacy-and-Cultural.html?lang=en
Hackathon Participatory Science for Ocean (Nice June 2025) with all projects: https://www.training-for-development.com/In-June-2025-in-Nice-Special-Participatory-Science-for-Ocean?lang=en
Geneva Forum: https://geneva-forum.com
The A.G.I.L.E tool from Geneva Foundation for the Future: https://www.geneva-for-future.foundation
Video on YouTube - Participatory Research explained by Thomas EGLI at Swiss television (French with automatic subtitles)
The book "Les idées du vivant" written in 2001 by Thomas EGLI, on the bioinspired organisations: https://thomas-egli.org/M-Thomas-EGLI.html
Thomas Egli on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-egli-geneva
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