Facing the pressures on the ocean, the FMSH and the Tara Ocean Foundation join forces

This partnership is grounded in a shared conviction: protecting the ocean system requires the production of high-quality knowledge, greater efforts to disseminate research findings among decision-makers, and a renewed dialogue between the social sciences, environmental sciences and civil society, capable of thoroughly questioning our economic, political and cultural models.

The two foundations are therefore committed to:

• developing interdisciplinary projects bringing together the humanities, social sciences and environmental sciences;
• supporting awareness-raising initiatives and the dissemination of knowledge;
• creating spaces for informed public debate, in France and internationally.

As the first institutional expression of this collaboration, Myriam Thomas, Director of the Ocean Culture Department at the Tara Ocean Foundation, joined the FMSH Scientific Council on 10 March 2026.

"Plastics: a systemic poison": examining the roots of a global crisis

As a new round of negotiations on an international treaty on plastic pollution is expected to open this year, the FMSH and the Tara Ocean Foundation are launching their partnership with a conference series entitled "Plastics: a systemic poison".

Often invisible yet omnipresent, plastic pollution has become a phenomenon with major ecological, health, climate and social implications. From the ocean to living organisms, it spreads across ecosystems and calls into question our collective choices.

By bringing together scientific knowledge and opening a rigorous space for discussion with civil society, this series aims to make the multiple dimensions of this crisis visible and to critically examine the levers for action capable of driving structural transformations in our production and consumption models.

The Tara Ocean Foundation is the first French public-interest foundation dedicated to the ocean. For over 20 years, it has pursued a revolution to protect the living world, driven by the conviction that the ocean is essential to the balance of our planet. Exploring the ocean and sharing scientific discoveries to foster collective awareness lies at the heart of the foundation's mission.

It conducts scientific expeditions in partnership with leading international research laboratories to study marine biodiversity and understand the impacts of climate change and pollution. It also raises awareness among citizens, from younger generations to policymakers. Thanks to its status as a Special Observer at the United Nations, the foundation actively contributes to international ocean governance.

Exploring, sharing and protecting this living ocean is more vital than ever. Together, let us defend the living world. Let us protect the ocean. Discover the foundation https://fondationtaraocean.org/ at and in video.

→ Call for projects - Oceans: social worlds, living worlds

→ Selected projects - 2025 laureates

→ Conference series - "Plastics: a systemic poison"