, ,

#AdvancedProjects PlastiDrugs: when microplastics meet medicines… and much more!

PlastiDrugs: when microplastics meet medicines... and much more!

While we have just presented the projects for 2025, projects from previous years are celebrating their anniversaries. 🎂

This is an opportunity for Charlie, our scientific coordinator, to take stock with the researchers we support. This time, we’re heading for Brazil and France with Rafael Trevisan, leader of the PlastiDrugs project.

👉 His objective? To understand the cocktail effects of microplastics and emerging pollutants (medicines, drugs, additives) in two emblematic bays:

Santos (Brazil), where wastewater is very poorly treated,

Brest (France), which is more controlled but also heavily urbanised.

💡 His initial hypothesis? Microplastics act like magnets for pollutants, transporting them around the environment… and delivering them directly into the organisms that ingest them.

📊 After 12 months of research:

Numerous pollutants have been found on plastics (including… cocaine, yes, you read that right),

Ecotoxicity tests on sea urchins show real effects on development,

This summer, tests on juvenile oysters and immune cells will complete the picture,

And already a scientific publication in the pipeline!

✨ This project wouldn’t exist without you: your support makes all the difference. Thank you 💙

🔁 Would you also like to support research that has a tangible impact on the health of the Ocean – and our own? Let’s talk about it!

IMG_6584
IMG_6622
IMG_6662
IMG_6782
/by
,

✨ A wave of commitment swept through Paris for an evening of solidarity

✨ A wave of commitment swept through Paris for an evening of solidarity

On Wednesday 2 April, at the magnificent Hôtel de Poulpry – Maison des Polytechniciens, 120 committed entrepreneurs came together for an evening of action and sharing, in aid of ocean research. Thanks to you, we raised €42,600, which will go directly to the innovative projects selected by our scientific committee to protect our oceans. A huge thank you to all of you for your presence, your generosity and your commitment to the ocean. Together, we are advancing research to preserve this vital ecosystem.

💫 A huge thank you to Dift for this cheque presentation, which embodies all the ground we have covered together in the service of the ocean.

🎨 Thank you to the artists and partners who donated exceptional lots for the auction and tombola: Alexandre Mazzia, Ardif, Bruno Fabre, Christophe Chellapermal, Collection Le Manifeste Jaune, Defrise, Elsa Guillaume, Gas Bijoux, Gilles Gambini, Jérémy Gobé, Le Café de la Paix, Orient Express Racing Team, Pierre-Luc Bartoli, Roland-Garros, SeventyOne Percent, Sodexo Live, Terre d’Oc, Thomas De Dinechin and Vasarely. Your generosity contributes directly to funding vital research projects.

🎤 A big thank you to Raphaëlle Duchemin for her inspiring and energetic hosting throughout the evening.

🙏 A big thank you to Maison R&C, Yonathan Chamla for his invaluable involvement in the auction, a real success as always!

Finally, a huge thank you to the Hôtel de Poulpry for its warm welcome in these exceptional surroundings, a real showcase for this exceptional evening.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
/by
, ,

A historic breakthrough for marine conservation in the Aegean Sea!

A historic breakthrough for marine conservation in the Aegean Sea!

We are so proud to have supported the Aegean Coralligenous project, led by Archipelagos. Today, for the first time, the Greek government is considering officially protecting a coralligenous area from destructive trawling. This is a decisive turning point for the Mediterranean!

🔎 Participatory science and seagrass mapping: a method that is proving its worth

This breakthrough is the result of close collaboration between scientists and local fishermen. A recent study published in Ocean & Coastal Management shows that small-scale fishermen have exceptional knowledge of seagrass beds, enabling them to map these habitats with impressive accuracy (up to 92%). Their data is comparable to, and sometimes even more accurate than, official maps. These results validate the value of incorporating this knowledge into marine conservation policies.

🚫 Towards the first no-trawling zone in Greece?

Another of the project’s unprecedented advances: the discoveries made by Archipelagos around the Fourni archipelago (where we were last summer to film Hidden Secret 😉 ) have enabled scientists, fishermen and local authorities to join forces to protect thousand-year-old coralligenous habitats, which are refuges for more than 1,800 species. These 7,000-year-old ecosystems, as precious as they are fragile, are in imminent danger.

The collective work being carried out here is exceptional: thanks to the knowledge of fishermen and the joint efforts of scientists and local stakeholders, we are witnessing a key moment for the protection of the Mediterranean!

🤝 At Pure Ocean, we firmly believe that it is through collective action that we can have a massive impact. That’s why we encourage projects that rely on collaboration with local communities, as they are the ones who hold the knowledge and power to ensure the sustainability of these initiatives.

/by
,

Cooling the Mediterranean with pack ice

Cooling the Mediterranean with pack ice

❄️ In the face of intensifying marine heatwaves, an unprecedented experiment is about to be launched: transporting blocks of pack ice from the Arctic to cool the Mediterranean. 😱

The concept is simple:

🔹 Transporting chunks of iceberg by chatGPT-piloted drones,

🔹 Drop them in sensitive areas where temperatures explode,

🔹 Watching gorgonians come back to life and fully flourish.

Future Pure Ocean winner revolutionary in the fight against global warming?… or just a techno-solutionist false good idea to speed up the melting of the poles while worsening the carbon footprint!

Nature doesn’t need emergency air conditioning, it needs strong political decisions to protect the Ocean and the Climate.

/by
,

Raising awareness in a different way: a virtual exhibition for the Ocean!

Raising awareness in a different way: a virtual exhibition for the Ocean!

Every year, PROMAN Group makes a commitment to La Goutte Bleue, mobilising its 1,278 branches around the world for a major challenge: to collect as much waste as possible in 48 hours to prevent it ending up in the sea. It’s a strong commitment that’s now going even further!

In 2023, we co-created with PROMAN Group, its Foundation, and photographer Victor Janjic the photo exhibition ‘Taking Care of Nature’, in partnership with L’OCCITANE Group and Sanofi. This travelling exhibition, hosted on their premises, raised awareness of plastic pollution through powerful images. Now it’s accessible to everyone thanks to an interactive virtual version.💡

📆 On 28 March, we unveiled this digital exhibition at a press lunch at Club 29. Thanks to the LMWR agency, this immersive platform raises awareness of plastic pollution through hard-hitting artistic photos and an interactive quiz.

🙌 A huge thank you to PROMAN, the PROMAN Foundation, L’OCCITANE Group and Sanofi for their commitment to this project. ♻️

👉 Want to raise awareness among your staff with an innovative tool? Then get in touch!

/by
, ,

The Shama project in the spotlight again!

The Shama project in the spotlight again!

Last Thursday, Envoyé Spécial on France 2 devoted 15 minutes to “Shama”, an exemplary project that has transformed a small, devastated island in the Philippines into a veritable sanctuary of life.

Sound familiar? Yes, it does! This remarkable initiative was also highlighted in the documentary “The Blue Quest Palawan”, recently published on YouTube.

Led by Frédéric Tardieu, president and founder of the Sulubaai Foundation, Shama is based on a community-based, sustainable approach to preserving marine biodiversity and improving the lives of the inhabitants of Shark Fin Bay.

An inspiring project that proves that science, commitment and local collaboration can make a difference!

Here’s the replay, starting at 1:28 👉 https://www.france.tv/france-2/envoye-special/6990709-emission-du-jeudi-20-mars-2025.html

/by
,

Science for all: understanding for better action!

Science for all: understanding for better action!

Un immense merci à France 2 d’avoir mis en lumière un phénomène aussi technique qu’essentiel dans son journal de 20h ! 🙌 Grâce à la vulgarisation scientifique, ces sujets souvent perçus comme complexes deviennent accessibles à tous.

Les médias jouent un rôle clé pour que chaque personne puisse appréhender les enjeux climatiques et se mobiliser. Car nous sommes toutes et tous concerné(e)s ! 🌡️🔥

Dans ce reportage, les chercheurs Rey Mourot et James Bradley du CNRS, rattachés au MIO (Institut Méditerranéen d’Océanologie) expliquent comment des microalgues contribuent à l’accélération de la fonte des glaces au Groenland. 🧊

💡 Comprendre, c’est le premier pas pour agir efficacement. C’est pourquoi chez Pure Ocean, nous travaillons avec les entreprises pour sensibiliser leurs collaborateurs aux enjeux scientifiques émergents. En s’appuyant sur les projets de recherche soutenus, nous les aidons à mieux comprendre les défis environnementaux pour agir en conscience.

4
2
3
4
/by
,

Orcas dress up too!

Orcas dress up too!

Après 37 ans d’oubli, une tendance refait surface sous l’océan… Les orques du Pacifique Nord-Ouest remettent à la mode un accessoire aussi surprenant qu’éphémère : le chapeau de saumon ! 🐟🎩

Déjà observé en 1987, ce phénomène avait mystérieusement disparu dès l’été 1988… jusqu’à aujourd’hui. Effet de mode chez les orques ? Façon originale de conserver leur repas pour plus tard ? Personne ne sait vraiment pourquoi ils se parent ainsi. Même les scientifiques sont perplexes. 🤷‍♂️

Grâce aux drones, les chercheurs peuvent aujourd’hui observer ce comportement inédit sous un nouvel angle. Une technologie qui n’existait pas il y a 40 ans. L’océan nous rappelle une fois de plus qu’il a encore bien des mystères à dévoiler et combien il est important de comprendre les comportements de ces animaux encore méconnus !

/by
,

A collective commitment to the ocean: less than 30 days before the Prestige Dinner!

A collective commitment to the ocean: less than 30 days before the Prestige Dinner!

Le mercredi 2 avril, 100 entrepreneur(e)s engagé(e)s se retrouveront dans le cadre exceptionnel de la Maison des Polytechniciens – Hôtel de Poulpry, un lieu emblématique façonné par l’histoire.

Cet hôtel particulier au cœur de Paris est l’endroit idéal pour unir nos efforts et lever des fonds pour la recherche scientifique dédiée à l’océan.

➡️ Un moment de rencontre entre science et entreprises au profit de la préservation de notre océan.

🌟 Comment contribuer à la santé de l’océan ? Une vente aux enchères exclusive mettra en avant des œuvres et des expériences rares, grâce à nos partenaires et artistes engagés. En plus de vous faire plaisir avec des lots d’exceptions uniques, les fonds levés serviront à soutenir des projets de recherche océanique innovants.

Une soirée de concrétisation des actions, où chaque participation permettra de contribuer à un avenir plus sain pour notre océan.

/by
, ,

Protecting our marine habitats: a crucial issue for biodiversity

title

Saviez-vous que la destruction des habitats marins est le 2ᵉ facteur d’érosion de la biodiversité ? Des récifs coralliens aux herbiers de posidonie, chaque habitat marin joue un rôle vital pour l’océan et les nombreuses espèces qui y trouvent refuge.

💡 Une lueur d’espoir : la loi sur la restauration de la nature, adoptée récemment, inscrit une vision ambitieuse dans le droit français et européen. Elle vise à restaurer 20% des zones terrestres et maritimes d’ici 2030, pour atteindre tous les écosystèmes nécessaires d’ici 2050. C’est une avancée majeure vers la protection de notre patrimoine naturel et la croissance bleue.

⚠️ Mais attention : les aires marines protégées, souvent mises en avant, doivent être réellement protégées. Aujourd’hui, la pêche y est encore souvent autorisée, fragilisant ces refuges essentiels pour la biodiversité. Il existe de nombreux statuts de ces zones dites “protégées”, qui brouillent le niveau de protection réel.

👉 Nous avons une responsabilité collective : restaurer les habitats marins, limiter les pratiques destructrices comme la pêche au chalut et l’exploitation minière, et préserver la base des écosystèmes dont nous dépendons au quotidien.

🎥 Découvrez notre nouvelle vidéo Pure Ocean Story et plongez au cœur de cet enjeu vital pour l’avenir de l’océan. Ensemble, agissons pour offrir un avenir à la biodiversité marine.

/by