Nice, France – June 10, 2025 – Economist Impact’s World Ocean Initiative hosted a pivotal panel discussion at the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, titled: “The Crucial Role of Technology to Restore Ocean Health.”
Aspasia Pastra, Assistant Professor at World Maritime University, member of LWO, joined fellow experts on the panel to explore how unmanned technologies are revolutionizing our capacity to collect bathymetric and marine biodiversity data, enabling ocean industries to progress toward net-zero goals, support ecosystem restoration, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the blue economy.
The panel delved into the legal, technological, and data governance challenges associated with scaling these innovations globally. Key takeaways from the session included the immense potential of autonomous systems to bridge existing data gaps and the importance of collaborative frameworks to guide responsible deployment.
Other distinguished panelists included:
Jamie McMichael-Phillips, Director, The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030
Jason Giffen, Vice President of Planning, Port of San Diego
Julie Angus, CEO, Open Ocean Robotics
Jonathan Birdwell, Global Head of Policy & Insights, Economist Impact
The session drew a full audience, underscoring growing global interest in how emerging technologies can address some of the most pressing challenges facing our oceans.