Members of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) held their annual leaders’ meeting today, co-chaired by President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway, where they reaffirmed the central role of the ocean in climate action and discuss priorities for the road to COP31 in Türkiye.
During the meeting, the Government of Australia announced the delivery of its Sustainable Ocean Plan, which will guide 100% sustainable management of Australia’s vast and diverse national waters. Additionally, the Government of Canada also confirmed that the next Our Ocean Conference will be hosted on 10-11 May 2027 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Following their meeting, the leaders issued their annual communiqué which looks ahead to COP31, calling for stronger integration of ocean-based solutions into climate action, deeper multilateral cooperation and finance that can reach the communities and countries most exposed to climate impacts.
In the communiqué, leaders agreed that achieving the Paris Agreement will require ocean-based mitigation measures, adaptation and resilience to be integrated into climate policy, and supported by scaled-up finance. They stressed that cooperation across borders, sectors and institutions is essential for turning global commitments into practical action.
This spirit of collaboration is reflected across ocean, climate and biodiversity frameworks including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the BBNJ Agreement.
The Ocean Panel’s 2026–2030 Workplan places implementation at the centre of its work with emphasis on the need to continue to support countries in developing and implementing Sustainable Ocean Plans as well as to strengthen partnerships and encourage more countries to join the 100% Alliance.
As COP31 approaches, Ocean Panel leaders will work to build momentum around practical ocean–climate solutions and their ‘100% Approach’ to help ensure that the ocean is recognised as a powerful part of climate change solutions globally.
