The prestigious Mário Ruivo Memorial Lecture is an initiative by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO), the EurOcean Foundation, and Portugal. It honours the legacy of Professor Mário Ruivo, a lifelong supporter of ocean science and sustainability who served as the former Executive Secretary of IOC/UNESCO.

Aaron Eger presented his groundbreaking project, "The Kelp Forest Alliance," during the 32nd Session of the IOC/UNESCO Assembly - part of Ocean Science Day in Paris. This project addresses the critical need to preserve kelp forests, which cover much of the world's coastlines and support millions of lives but are rapidly disappearing.

His Mário Ruivo Memorial Lecture aligns with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 14, "Life below water." It supports the vision and mission of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 ('The Ocean Decade').

Eger expressed gratitude for the opportunity, highlighting that he conceived the Kelp Forest Alliance as a grassroots vision to preserve marine forests. He emphasised that saving these environments requires connecting individuals working in all aspects of these ecosystems.

A record of the talk can be found on here