January 23, 2024 | 18:15-19:45 | Lecture Hall III, Main Building University of Bonn

Europe, the continent most penetrated by the sea, has developed a close relationship with the seas since time immemorial. But what may seem like a matter of course to most inhabitants of western Europe is not always present to many people in the middle of the continent or even in eastern Europe. Although people everywhere dream of beaches and seaside vacations, the sea is far more than just a cipher for longings and dream trips. Without the sea and seafaring, there would be little or no interaction with the worlds of other continents. It was only with the European discovery of America by Columbus that the development of a modern world system began, which has cumulated in the "globalization" of recent decades and led to a worldwide exchange of goods. For decades, 90% of Germany's imports and exports of raw materials and goods have come and gone via its ports, and the situation is similar in most European countries. The whole of humanity is now pushing towards the life-giving coasts and seas; around two thirds of the world's population now live within a strip of just 60 km inland from the coasts on the continental margins. However, the pressure on the ocean margins is causing more and more conflicts, between humans and nature, but also between actors of all scales.

Lecture:

Dr. Joachim Weber

Senior Fellow Strategic Foresight and Risk Analysis at the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies, University of Bonn

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