Many fishing practices, such as bottom trawling, do not specifically target a single species but indiscriminately catch a wide range of marine life. Here officials in the Pacific inspect illegal bycatch. 

On New Years Eve, Boris saw numerous boats sailing under asian flags off the coast of Argentina. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg: countless vessels turn off their AIS systems to go undetected. 

Squid Jiggers lure their prey to the surface with bright lights - ironically whilst often "going dark" on the AIS system. 

The Argentinian Navy watches as a vessel leaves the EEZ of Argentina and enders Mile 201. 

Earlier in the race, on New Year's Eve, Boris Herrmann was sailing along the coast of Argentina after rounding Cape Horn and leaving the Pacific behind him just days before. After nearly a month in the Southern Ocean, with no other humans in sight, and with the final sprint up the Atlantic to Les Sables d’Olonne ahead of him before being reunited with “society,” Boris was surprised to discover a different kind of civilisation on the Ocean: hundreds of fishing vessels, equipped with miles and miles of nets, lines and search systems, turning the sea into an uneven battleground between marine life and the relentless pursuit of catch.

Mile 201: Where exploitation thrives and marine life dies

Wind turbines in Uruguay.

Facing challenges head-on and not backing down. Boris climbing the mast.

As Boris Herrmann sails non-stop around the world in the Vendée Globe, we take a moment to focus on the regions he passes and share stories of hope and progress. In a world where bad news often dominates, highlighting positive change reminds us that solutions are possible and action matters. This news is is brought to you by the Superredaktion and Team Malizia - because hope fuels action, and action brings change.

Climate Hope Week 9

Deforestation of Brazilian rainforests has gone back by nearly 1/3 in comparison to last year. 

Boris after the Cape Horn rounding

As Boris Herrmann sails non-stop around the world in the Vendée Globe, we take a moment to focus on the regions he passes and share stories of hope and progress. In a world where bad news often dominates, highlighting positive change reminds us that solutions are possible and action matters. This news is is brought to you by the Superredaktion and Team Malizia—because hope fuels action, and action brings change.

Climate Hope Week 8

A mangrove in the Malizia Mangrove Park

📍 Malizia Mangrove Park, Philippines
February 2024


 Malizia Mangrove Park, Philippines February 2024 

In partnership with the Mama Earth Foundation, the Malizia Mangrove Park was created in the Philippines to combat the devastating loss of mangroves—half of which disappeared over the past century. Teaming up with Davao Oriental State University and the local community, the park initially aimed to plant one million mangroves. Thanks to generous donations, we already surpassed two million mangroves and are now aiming for five. But how do their journeys unfold—from a simple click of support to a thriving mangrove in the Philippines?

How Your Donation Turns Into A Mangrove Growing On The Coast Of The Philippines

Boris receives his UN Ocean Decade Team T-Shirt

Gathering of members of the German UN Ocean Decade Committee 2024

A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now! - We carry our mission on the sails of our IMOCA

This new year kicks off an exciting chapter for Team Malizia, as we look forward to our skipper Boris Herrmann finishing his second Vendée Globe and our team participating in the upcoming The Ocean Race Europe 2025 this summer. It also marks the one-year anniversary of our skipper being named an ambassador for the German Committee of the United Nations’ Decade of the Ocean, and our Head of Sustainability and Partnerships, Cornelius Eich, joining the committee as a member. What is the Ocean Decade exactly and why is 2025 an important year?

Happy 2025 Everyone! This new year kicks off an exciting chapter for Team Malizia, as we look forward to our skipper Boris Herrmann finishing his second Vendée Globe and our team participating in the upcoming The Ocean Race Europe 2025 this summer. It also marks the one-year anniversary of our skipper being named an ambassador for the German Committee of the United Nations’ Decade of the Ocean, and our Head of Sustainability and Partnerships, Cornelius Eich, joining the committee as a member. What is the Ocean Decade exactly and why is 2025 an important year?

The UN Ocean Decade: Charting a Sustainable Future for Our Ocean

Krill eat phytoplankton and excrete faecal matter that sink straight to the bottom of the ocean, locking away CO2 for years. 

Krill swarms can be seen from space!

The Southern Ocean has an abundance of marine life: whales, seals, sea birds and penguins are generally animals that come to mind – not the small crustacean krill. However krill play a vital role in the Southern Ocean’s ecosystem and a key part in climate change.

Krill: Small But Creating A Big Impact

Krill: Small With A Big Impact

Indigenous communities are now equitably involved in land use in Guatemala 

Climate Hope Week 7

Anthony Albanese and Kausea Natano announced the pact at the Pacific Islands Forum



Tasmania - beautiful nature with beautiful benefits!

Climate Hope Week 6

Whales play a critical role in the Ocean's nutrient cycle.

Antarctic landscape, Brown Station

What are the limits of adaptation for a marine species like the narwhal? What happens, when going further north to find ice is no longer an option?

With temperatures rising, the gender distribution among sea turtles is changing. 

For the past few days, there have been some changes in the Vendée Globe fleet. Boris has moved up to 8th place after holding steady in 10th for quite some time. Yet, while we fixate on tracking the positions of 36 remaining boats as they shuffle through the rankings, it’s easy to forget about the incredible natural movements taking place in the same waters. These regions aren’t just pathways for yachts, they are highways for some of the most remarkable creatures on Earth. Today, let’s dive into the world of marine animal migration. By the end of this, you might find yourself less enthralled by race trackers and dreaming of a marine mammal migration tracker instead. Sorry, not sorry in advance!

Marine Migration: More Than The Eye Can See

Chili Vegetation in Mahara Maximum Security Prison.

Press conference on South Korea’s Constitutional Court’s final ruling on the Korean climate litigation case

Hope fuels us to face challenges - on land and at sea. To create a platform for good news to balance out the bad news stories flooding the headlines, Team Malizia and the Superredaktion are sharing positive news stories every day with Boris onboard the Malizia - Seaexplorer. At the end of every week you can find a compilation of uplifting news here!

Climate Hope Week 5

The Norwegian Arctic: a hotspot for climate change. 

Sea ice melt ponds. White surfaces reflect more heat than dark surfaces.

A collapsed block of ice-rich permafrost along Drew Point, Alaska.

Taken from the back of the boat in the Southern Ocean during the third leg of The Ocean Race 2023.

The Ocean Pack that allows us to measure accurate Ocean data which is then transmitted via satellite to climate scientists.  

As we obsessively look at the race tracker, watch as the pictogram of the Malizia - Seaexplorer edges forward every few hours and see this race digitally unfold, it's important to remember that the very place our skipper Boris Herrmann is sailing through is not just a distant, digital map. The Ocean and polar regions he traverses are crucial to the health of our planet. While many of us may never experience these wild, untouched landscapes firsthand, our actions have well and truly already made an impact on these environments already.

Not So Much Ice, Ice Baby Anymore - The South And North Pole

The seven new species of frogs found in Madagascar have been named after the most iconic captains from the sci-fi-series Star Trek due to their distinct call! 

Today marks the end of the first week of the only full month the Vendée Globe fleet will spend at sea. After rounding the Cape of Good Hope off South Africa, the fleet is now navigating the challenges of the treacherous Southern Ocean.  Despite facing technical troubles this week, Boris Herrmann knows that staying positive is key. To support this, Team Malizia has teamed up with Superredaktion to share good news from nearby regions along his journey.

Climate Hope Week 4

Photo taken on day 4 during Leg 3 of The Ocean Race showing an Albatross flying around the Malizia - Seaexplorer.
02/03/23

Photo taken on day 4 during the Leg 3 of The Ocean Race showing an albatross flying around the Malizia - Seaexplorer.
01/03/23




It's no coincidence that we often refer to two people in love as "love birds"—around 90% of bird species live monogamously, forming some of the most loyal partnerships in the animal kingdom. However, rising global temperatures are creating unexpected challenges for one of the most iconic monogamous birds: the majestic albatross. This is the story of how global warming is affecting the love lives of these seabirds, putting their relationships metaphorically and literally in hot water.

Romantic Troubles? Try Being a Hungry Albatross Divorced by Climate Change

Antarctica, between global warming, exploitation, and hope

Leopard seal on an iceberg, Borgen Bay, Anvers Island, Western Antarctic Peninsula

Southern Ocean impressions from onboard Malizia - Seaexplorer during The Ocean Race 2022-2023

Diver under the ice, Anvers Island, Antarctica

Boris Herrmann onboard Malizia - Seaexplorer in the Vendée Globe, near the Crozet Islands on Day 26 of the race and observing the surrounding albatrosses

Adélie penguin, Antarctica

Situated at the southernmost point of our planet, Antarctica is a vast, icy expanse of near-total solitude. Visited only by a few dedicated scientists and rounded every now and then by a fleet of IMOCA sailors, this frozen continent and its surrounding Southern Ocean play a vital role in regulating the Earth's climate. Yet, it often goes overlooked by some and is exploited by others. As Boris Herrmann navigates its icy waters, we explore the pressing challenges facing Antarctica.

King penguins and Antarctic fur seal pups on the island of South Georgia. Salisbury Plaine, South Georgia, Southern Ocean

Antarctica, Between Global Warming, Exploitation, And Hope

Nigeria’s first climate cafe. 

As Boris nears the Cape of Good Hope, we’re following his journey with some much-needed good news. This week, we start in Togo, travel down the map of Africa and end in South Africa - showing that positive change is happening all around the world. 

Climate Hope Week 3

Around 1200 scientists brave the cold every winter to conduct research in the most remote area of the planet: Antarctica. 

About 98% of the Antarctic temperature and salinity profiles have been gathered by elephant seals. 

Boris has journeyed to some of the most remote and extraordinary places on the planet - destinations few will ever experience. Yet, as is the nature of the Vendée Globe, where every moment counts, there’s rarely time to pause and absorb the stories of these remarkable regions. Antarctica, however, has always held a special allure. From early explorers chasing the dream of a tropical Terra Australis, to today’s scientists unraveling the mysteries of its icy expanse, and now to Boris himself, charging toward the Southern Ocean aboard Malizia - Seaexplorer, the intrigue remains. Let’s “break the ice” and dive into the rich history and present-day wonders of Antarctic exploration!

Antarctic Intrigue - Exploration Then And Now

Despite their resilience, mangroves face growing challenges from climate change.

Often referred to as the rainforests of the sea, coral reefs also protect coastal regions and are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet.

Night operations on the Pine Gulch Fire in Colorado, 2020

Sea ice melt ponds in the Arctic Ocean

As Boris will soon navigate the Southern Ocean, we are reminded of the strength it takes to endure and adapt to challenges and the importance of ambitious climate action.

In the face of climate change, resilience has become a crucial lens through which we view ecosystems, communities, and individuals. Nature has evolved to adapt and recover over millennia, but as global temperatures rise and ecosystems are confronted with unprecedented stresses, resilience is being tested like never before. In this article, we explore how ecosystems like coral reefs and fire-prone forests show resilience to climate change and why safeguarding their adaptability is vital for the future of our planet.

Nature shows an extraordinary ability to resist, adapt and recover in the face of the impacts of climate change

Adapting To The Future: Nature’s Resilience In A Changing Climate

Asian elephant collecting grass in woodland habitat. 

Team Malizia's Boris Herrmann crossed the Equator this Friday morning into the South Atlantic in his second Vendée Globe

Boris Herrmann as he crosses the Equator

Climate Hope Week 2

An albatross in the Southern Ocean

Sargassum seaweed observed in the High Seas from onboard Malizia - Seaexplorer

Manganese nodules on the seafloor in the Clarion-Clipperton zone, an area particularly threatened by deep-sea mining. The image was taken with ROV KIEL 6000 during expedition SO239 with Geomar's research vessel SONNE in April 2015

Down on the seafloor live stranger, and more, organisms than we can imagine. More often than not, while watching live images from the seafloor remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the scientists onboard burst out: "Wow! What IS that? Did you see that?!"

The time to act for the preservation of the High Seas is now

As our skipper Boris Herrmann is crossing the Equator and entering the South Atlantic on Day 12 of his second Vendée Globe, we want to shed light on a vital part of the Ocean he will sail across for most of the race: the High Seas. With threats like deep-sea mining looming, it is crucial to raise awareness and advocate for stronger conservation efforts to ensure the health and sustainability of the High Seas for future generations.

Relicanthus sp.—a new species from a new order of Cnidaria collected at 4,100 meters in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ) in the Pacific that lives on sponge stalks attached to nodules lying on the seabed

Deep-Sea Mining, A Major Threat To The High Seas - That Can Still Be Stopped

Team Malizia's skipper signed the drifter buoy before deploying it this afternoon in the Vendée Globe 2024-2025

This is not Boris Herrmann's first deployment of scientific instruments, he has been doing so since 2018

Boris Herrmann, skipper of Team Malizia, deployed a weather buoy northwest of Cabo Verde this afternoon while racing in the Vendée Globe. The scientific instrument will drift with the Ocean currents and measure data crucial for weather forecasting predictions and climate change monitoring. Boris Herrmann and his team have continuously carried scientific equipment onboard their IMOCA racing yacht since 2018, and are one of the top contributors of Ocean data in this year’s Global Carbon Budget, one of the key publications in climate science.

Team Malizia's Boris Herrmann deployed a drifter buoy northwest of Cabo Verde this afternoon as he was racing in the Vendée Globe

“Science Mission Accomplished!” - Boris Herrmann Deploys Weather Buoy During Vendée Globe

Looking at news can be a quick way of making yourself feel bad nowadays. A constant flow of headlines highlighting what's going wrong in the world, nearly completely disregarding the news of what's going right! And it is precisely these positive stories that we need in order to fuel our hope - and hope is what keeps us motivated to take action and strive for a brighter future.

Climate Hope Week 1

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