Ocean Sciences Meeting heads to Glasgow in 2026

Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026 (OSM26) will be held in Glasgow – the first meeting outside of the United States for the biennial conference founded in 1982. The meeting will bring together more than 5,000 delegates in Scotland to discuss all aspects of oceanography following previous events in San Diego and New Orleans. OSM26, which will be held in February 2026, has been endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development.

Co-sponsored by the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) and The Oceanography Society (TOS), OSM is the global leader in ocean sciences conferences. These three organizations bring together participants from the worldwide ocean sciences community, including research scientists, industry experts, agency program managers, policymakers, and those working in non-governmental organizations. Understanding the global ocean is crucial to society, and these diverse participants will gather to share research results, discuss challenges, raise awareness, and collaborate on approaches to support a thriving, sustainable, and equitable future.

OSM is one of a growing number of sustainability-focused conferences that have chosen to convene at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) after Glasgow hosted the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021.

AGU, the Marine Scotland Directorate within the Scottish Government, the SEC, VisitScotland, the Glasgow Convention Bureau and Maritz Global Events collaborated on the proposal.

"Advancing ocean science to meet the urgent needs posed by the climate crisis requires international collaboration among scientists, science organizations, community leaders, the business community and international governing bodies, to name a few,” said Janice R. Lachance, Interim Executive Director and CEO of AGU. “By hosting Ocean Sciences Meeting outside of the US for the first time, we're expanding access to a new region of scientists who can share their findings, build relationships, and advance the impact of science. We’re also thrilled to be in Glasgow, a city that is leading the development of a green economy and has already hosted significant sustainability events, like COP26.”

“I’m delighted that Glasgow has been chosen to host this important global gathering in 2026. Scotland has a long and proud heritage and tradition in ocean science and we have a wealth of expertise to share,” said Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands. “The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the ocean to every aspect of our lives and people’s lives all around the world. Our Blue Economy Vision sets out how by 2045, Scotland’s shared stewardship of our marine environment supports ecosystem health, improved livelihoods, food security, economic prosperity, social inclusion, and wellbeing.”

Commenting on the announcement, Kathleen Warden, Director of Conference Sales, Scottish Event Campus, said: "Scotland has a wealth of knowledge and cutting-edge expertise in the ocean sciences sector which makes us a natural host for the conference in its first venture outside of the USA. As a team, the Scottish Government, VisitScotland, Glasgow Convention, and the SEC, have worked together with AGU to secure this important conference of global significance for Scotland. We look forward to welcoming the ocean sciences community to Glasgow in 2026.”