The UNESCO Chair Participates in SETAC Europe Annual Meeting

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The SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting, held in Vienna from 11 to 15 May 2025, gathered more than 2,700 delegates from over 38 countries to discuss cutting-edge research and innovative approaches in environmental science under the theme “Innovation for Tomorrow: Progress in Safe and Sustainable Concepts.”

Sandra Ceballos Santos, researcher at the UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change at ESCI-UPF, presented the poster “Integrated Approaches to Addressing Sustainability, Quality, and Safety in Seafood Supply Chains”, based on the SMART-FOODPRINT research project. This project aims to establish an integrated life cycle framework to assess sustainability, traceability, and safety throughout the seafood supply chain.

In her presentation, Ceballos Santos highlighted the complex challenges facing food supply chains—particularly in the seafood sector—where issues of fraud, safety, and environmental impact are often treated in silos. “Around 30% of globally sold seafood is misrepresented or mislabeled,” she explained, “making it difficult for consumers and businesses to make informed, sustainable choices.”

To address these issues, the SMART-FOODPRINT project incorporates real data from stakeholders across the supply chain, from fish producers to the HORECA sector. Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the team is developing a set of sustainability indicators, aggregated into a comprehensive nexus index. This index will evaluate the environmental, social, and economic performance of seafood systems, paving the way for more trustworthy ecolabeling and regulatory strategies.

“Seafood sustainability goes beyond environmental metrics—it’s also about social equity, economic viability, and transparency. Our framework brings those elements together to foster consumer trust and industry accountability,” said Sandra Ceballos Santos.

SETAC Vienna provided an inspiring platform for exchange, with special sessions and plenaries exploring the roles of artificial intelligence, biodiversity protection, and science communication in tackling the triple planetary crisis. Reflecting on the conference, Ceballos Santos noted: “It’s been energizing to share insights with international peers and see how integrated scientific approaches are reshaping how we think about sustainability—from chemicals to food systems.”

Her work contributes to SETAC’s mission of advancing Environmental Quality Through Science, reinforcing the importance of holistic, life cycle-based methodologies in driving real progress toward safe and sustainable supply chains.

This research is part of the project PID2022-137023OB-C32, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, EU.