The Project
Led by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) in partnership with the Italian Navy (Marina Militare) and national centers of excellence like public Environmental Agenzies and universities, this project embodies the One Health and Planetary Health visions central to the UN Science Summit 2025, linking human health, marine ecosystems, and climate challenges to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Launched over two years ago, SeA-Care investigates the nexus of oceans and human health through a systemic, transdisciplinary approach. It examines the impacts of human activities and climate change on marine environments, focusing on risks from pollutants like microplastics and PFAS, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenic microorganisms across global oceans . This aligns with the One Health framework, emphasizing the interdependence of human and environmental health, a key focus of the Summit. SeA-Care’s innovative methodology ensures consistent data collection over vast spatial and temporal scales, minimizing biases with hundreds of samples gathered along routes of the Amerigo Vespucci and other naval units . With over 20 among peer-reviewed studies, participation in scientific symposium and public outreach events like the UN 2023 Water Conference, the project informs global policies on ocean protection and public health, supporting SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
