Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
The Bay of Bengal is home to a quarter of humanity, and it is under pressure. Geopolitical competition, declining fish stocks, and the intensifying impacts of climate change are straining a shared maritime environment on which hundreds of millions of people depend. As resources grow scarcer, so does the risk of escalation among the region's littoral states.
In this episode, Josephine Collier and Alexandra Steinkraus (adelphi) speak with Nicholas Chu and Sreejith Sugunan from the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, the organisation which initiated the Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue — the only platform addressing the bay in a holistic sense. Together, we explore how science diplomacy uses scientific cooperation as a neutral entry point for regional collaboration: from tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing to facilitating the Kochi Declaration on Marine Science Cooperation. The often overlooked role of women in the fisheries and coastal labour force is also discussed, and why inclusive, gender-responsive approaches to maritime policymaking produce better science and more durable governance outcomes.
Further resources:
• More information about the project (weatheringrisk.org/en/peace-pillar-project-bay-bengal)
• Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue synthesis report (weatheringrisk.org/sites/default/files/document/WRPP_BayofBengal_Evaluation_Synthesis_0.pdf)
• Impact story: Voices from the Bay - Making a fishing ban work in the Bay of Bengal (weatheringrisk.org/en/impact-note/voices-bay-making-fishing-ban-work-bay-bengal)
© adelphi global, all rights reserved
adelphi global (adelphi-global.de/en) is an economically and politically independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting sustainability, enhancing environmental protection, improving education, expanding development cooperation, and strengthening international collaborations. Our commitment is reflected in targeted projects, in-depth analyses, and informative educational events, through which we strive for a just and sustainable world.
Editing by Paulus Müller-Hahl (Lichtbilder)
The Bay of Bengal is home to a quarter of humanity, and it is under pressure. Geopolitical competition, declining fish stocks, and the intensifying impacts of climate change are straining a shared maritime environment on which hundreds of millions of people depend. As resources grow scarcer, so does the risk of escalation among the region's littoral states.
In this episode, Josephine Collier and Alexandra Steinkraus (adelphi) speak with Nicholas Chu and Sreejith Sugunan from the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, the organisation which initiated the Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue — the only platform addressing the bay in a holistic sense. Together, we explore how science diplomacy uses scientific cooperation as a neutral entry point for regional collaboration: from tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing to facilitating the Kochi Declaration on Marine Science Cooperation. The often overlooked role of women in the fisheries and coastal labour force is also discussed, and why inclusive, gender-responsive approaches to maritime policymaking produce better science and more durable governance outcomes.
Further resources:
• More information about the project (weatheringrisk.org/en/peace-pillar-project-bay-bengal)
• Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue synthesis report (weatheringrisk.org/sites/default/files/document/WRPP_BayofBengal_Evaluation_Synthesis_0.pdf)
• Impact story: Voices from the Bay - Making a fishing ban work in the Bay of Bengal (weatheringrisk.org/en/impact-note/voices-bay-making-fishing-ban-work-bay-bengal)
© adelphi global, all rights reserved
adelphi global (adelphi-global.de/en) is an economically and politically independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting sustainability, enhancing environmental protection, improving education, expanding development cooperation, and strengthening international collaborations. Our commitment is reflected in targeted projects, in-depth analyses, and informative educational events, through which we strive for a just and sustainable world.
Editing by Paulus Müller-Hahl (Lichtbilder)
