Are you tired of attending yet another high-level environmental summit only to walk away feeling like you just witnessed another round of “blue blue blah blah”? For those of us working towards blue regenerative societies the gap between ambitious political declarations and real-world execution can be a source of frustration. We know what needs to be done, yet institutional inertia (and non- collaborative dialogue) continue to slow our progress.

In episode #33 host and experienced conference designer Jan Maisenbacher sits down with Meaghan Cuddy, manager of the Our Ocean Conference secretariat at the World Resources Institute.

Together, they pull back the curtain on how to design a high-stakes global forum for actual impact, rather than empty rhetoric. Having organized conferences himself, Jan brings a unique conference-design lens to the conversation, questioning why commitments are not more deeply integrated into the actual panel setups and session agendas to break the passive “panel talk” bubble.

Unlike standard UN processes, the Our Ocean Conference is an invite-only platform designed without diplomatic negotiations. Its sole objective is mobilising and tracking concrete conservation pledges.

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This brings us to the core impact piece: what happens after the applause fades? Meaghan shares the rigorous “detective work” her small team conducts year-round to track every single commitment. Listeners will discover the surprising data behind these pledges, including the reality of the eighty percent that are completed or in progress, and the systemic challenges behind the twenty percent that fail to launch.

From Kenya’s historic one-billion-dollar commitment to transboundary marine protection, to the grassroots power of the Mombasa Declaration on fisheries transparency, this episode is a blueprint for impactful change.

If you are ready to explore how strategic meeting design can bridge the gap between policy and execution, while learning how to build resilient leadership that avoids burnout, this conversation is for you. Tune in to discover how we can break our sector’s echo chamber, engage critical decision-makers in finance and trade, and turn empty talk into measurable ocean action.

Connect with Meaghan Cuddy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meaghancuddy/

Links:Our Ocean Conference (OOC) Kenya: https://ouroceankenya.com/

OOC Commitment Tracker: https://commitments.ouroceanconference.org/login/World Ressources Institute Ocean Program:https://www.wri.org/ocean

Learn how Jan Maisenbacher can help to make your conference more impactful, collaborative and regenerative : https://janmaisenbacher.com/en/magicprojects/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit janmaisenbacher.substack.com