At the 12th ABLOS Conference, held in Doha, Dr. Laura Giuliano, Director General of CIESM, delivered an inspiring presentation highlighting how a century of CIESM’s scientific cooperation demonstrates that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) can be effectively translated into action through science and collaboration.
Speaking before an international audience of experts in ocean law, mapping, and marine observation, Dr. Giuliano reaffirmed that research vessels remain fundamental tools for marine science irreplaceable for direct observation, validation of data and understanding complex ocean processes.
She emphasized that in the Mediterranean, where multiple nations share a semi-enclosed sea, cooperation rather than competition remains the key to scientific progress.
Central to her intervention was a reflection on CIESM’s unique mode of governance, which guarantees total independence of scientific activity from any political or institutional influence. This autonomy, she explained, gives CIESM the agility to act quickly, transforming scientific insight into early, collective action – often anticipating societal needs rather than following them.
To illustrate this, Dr. Giuliano presented two brief examples from CIESM’s long history of cooperative achievement:
> Shared Mapping – A CIESM Success Story
Well before digital mapping platforms existed, CIESM united numerous national institutes and partners to produce the first basin-wide morpho-bathymetric map of the Mediterranean, later integrated into global datasets — an early model of transboundary cooperation achieved through science alone.
> Acting Before the Rules – The CIESM Charter
Years before formal agreements like the Nagoya Protocol or BBNJ, CIESM was already promoting fair access and benefit-sharing of marine genetic resources. When unregulated sampling began in the Mediterranean, CIESM coordinated Member States to safeguard national rights, a clear example of science diplomacy in action.
Through these examples she illustrated how CIESM’s independence and flexibility have repeatedly allowed the scientific community to respond swiftly to emerging challenges — complementing more structured, top-down governance frameworks and keeping science at the forefront of societal progress.
In closing, she reaffirmed that UNCLOS remains a living, inspiring framework, and that the Commission is proud to uphold its spirit by fostering trust, independence, and cooperation across the Mediterranean scientific community.
Dr. Giuliano warmly thanked the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), the ABLOS Organizing Committee, and in particular the Qatari Standing Committee on the Law of the Sea, as well as the Qatari Authorities and the local organizing team, for their outstanding venue, impeccable organization, and generous hospitality.