The 2026 Lecture SEAries
An initiative of the Society for Environmental Awareness (SEA), in collaboration with the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO) at the University of Antwerp.
The Lecture SEAries brings together leading voices from science, policy, governance, exploration and storytelling to examine the environmental challenges shaping our rapidly changing world.
From climate change and biodiversity loss to governance, resilience and the role of science in society, each lecture connects expert knowledge with the wider forces influencing our future.
Through compelling perspectives and open dialogue, the series aims to deepen understanding, encourage critical reflection and explore pathways from knowledge to meaningful action.
All lectures and workshops will be given in English, at the City Campus of the University of Antwerp.
PROGRAMME
WEDNESDAY 14 OCTOBER (19h – 21h)
Christian Clauwers
— “The Fragile Frontlines of a Warming World”
In this first lecture of the SEAries series, Christian Clauwers takes the audience on a visual journey to the front lines of a changing planet. Drawing on fifteen years of expeditions to the polar regions, the world’s oceans, and vulnerable island communities, he weaves together personal stories and photography with scientific insights into climate change, biodiversity loss, and the evolving relationship between humans and nature. He also highlights his recent work aboard the Belgian research vessel R/V BELGICA, where he was appointed by Belgium to handle visual science communication, public outreach, and the dissemination of Belgian and European marine research. The lecture therefore serves as a broad introduction to the topics that will be explored in greater depth in the subsequent lectures.
Christian Clauwers is a Belgian documentary photographer, explorer, author, and public speaker working at the intersection of science, policy, and society. For more than a decade, he has documented environmental change in the polar regions, on remote islands, and across the world’s oceans, with a strong focus on climate change, biodiversity loss, and the relationship between people and nature. He collaborates with scientists, universities, and research institutions, translating complex research into accessible visual stories. He was appointed by BELSPO to document and communicate scientific missions aboard the Belgian research vessel R/V BELGICA.
WEDNESDAY 4 NOVEMBER (19h – 21h)
Dr. Prof. Gudrun De Boeck:
— “When the Ocean loses its breath- the failing safety net against climate change”
Oceans cover 70% of our planet, produce 50% of our oxygen, and have been a great buffer against climate change. Since the pre-industrial era, oceans absorbed 25-30% of the CO2 emitted by anthropogenic activities and a stunning 90% of the heat produced by global warming. However, their protective function is declining ocean acidification threatens calcifying organisms and reduces CO2 absorbance, and marine heatwaves not only reduce the amount of heat oceans can still absorb, but they also reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen and oxygen production itself. Yet, when protected, marine environments show to be more resilient then expected, giving hope that not all is lost.
Prof. Gudrun De Boeck is a biologist studying the effects of changing environmental conditions on freshwater and marine fish. She studies how fish cope with changes caused by humans (climate change, pollution…) but also how they have managed to adapt to the most extreme conditions, from Kenian alkaline soda lakes to acidic Amazonian water, from tropical reefs to polar oceans. She is heading the ECOSPHERE research group at the University of Antwerp, is chair of the Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development, and president of the Society for Experimental Biology.
WEDNESDAY 25 NOVEMBER (19h – 21h)
Dr. Prof. Hans Bruyninckx:
— “Climate Governance in Turbulent Times”
We are living in turbulent times. Security concerns, failing global governance, economic challenges, and, yes, also the increasingly visible impacts of climate change. All of these issues are demanding strong governance, exactly at a time when this seems to be missing. In addition, environmental and climate concerns are pushed down on the political agenda. In this talk, Hans Bruyninckx will reflect on the systemic causes and risks of climate change, how we can think of solutions given the difficult political context and how actionable knowledge can be a lever for policy and for personal action.
Hans Bruyninckx is the regional Director for Europe of the World Resources Institute. He was a professor at the KULeuven, the Wageningen University and Antwerp University. Between 2013 and 2023 he was the Executive Director of the European Environment Agency. His focus is on systemic solutions and functional governance for complex challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss and the social and economic impacts of the current crisis in Earth Systems. He has worked with International and European institutions, with national governments, civil society organisations and economic actors as he believes that solutions are only possible through joint action.
WEDNESDAY 16 DECEMBER (19h – 21h)
Dr. Prof. Ivan Janssens
— “Carbon Sinks in Terrestrial Ecosystems”
Terrestrial ecosystems play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle by absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide. In this lecture, Prof. Dr. Ivan Janssens explores how forests, soils, and other ecosystems function as carbon sinks, how climate change affects their capacity to store carbon, and why this matters for future climate stability. Drawing on current research, he will also discuss the limits, uncertainties, and potential of nature-based solutions in mitigating climate change.
Prof. Dr. Ivan Janssens is Professor at the University of Antwerp and a leading expert on the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems under global change. His research focuses on greenhouse gas balances, forest productivity, the carbon cycle, and the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss on ecosystems. Through the Plants and Ecosystems research group (PLECO), he investigates how ecosystems respond to changing environmental conditions and how these processes influence the global climate system. His work spans local to global scales and contributes to a better understanding of nature-based climate mitigation and ecosystem resilience.
OPTIONAL WORKSHOP (free of charge)
After each lecture, there will be time for a short, interactive workshop, organized by Olivier Torfs (Changemakers Unite, and team member of SEA). We’ll take the time to let the content sink in and explore how the lecture makes us feel. What thoughts, feelings, or questions linger? Through a guided exercise and discussion with others, we’ll create space to process the content on a personal level, discover different perspectives, and reflect on what this might set in motion.
LOCATION:
University of Antwerp (Stadscampus)
Rodestraat 14
2000 Antwerpen
R213 + R224
PARTNERS
In collaboration with the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO) at the University of Antwerp.
