We have the most beautiful city in the world! But are we really up to par?

Bergen’s inner fjord is part of the ocean—and our shared responsibility. That is why we are working toward a cleaner and more vibrant fjord, right in the heart of a city where there is always a lot going on, both on land and in the water. For many years, the seabed in the inner fjord was contaminated by, among other things, heavy metals from past industrial activity. To prevent old pollutants from being stirred up and spreading, we have installed new seabed material in both Puddefjorden and Store Lungegårdsvannet, and the Cleaner Bergen Harbor Project plans to install new seabed material in Vågen as well.

But how do we know if this works? How can we tell if the environmental toxins are staying put? Is new pollution entering the area? And what does that mean for the work we’re about to do in Vågen?

In "A Sea of Opportunities," students meet representatives from Bergen Vann, COWI, the State Administrator of Vestland, and the Bergen Maritime Museum, who demonstrate how we monitor the seabed, protect the aquatic environment—and why the cultural heritage sites hidden at the bottom of Vågen make the area truly special. Here, students get to explore real environmental data, see how measurements are taken in practice, and learn how science, technology, history, and environmental work come together underwater.