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Top Ocean Moments at COP28

COP28 negotiations in Dubai ended early on the morning of 13 December, as countries agreed on a new deal to tackle climate change. For the first time, fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) are mentioned in the text which states that countries will “contribute… to transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a […]

New Green Shipping Challenge Announcements made at COP28

Last year at COP27, two members of the Ocean Panel, Norway and the USA launched a new initiative to cut greenhouse gas emissions from shipping and challenged other countries, ports and companies to join them.  One year on, COP28 in Dubai saw an update on progress and further commitments made towards this ambitious goal.   International […]

Ocean Panel Calls for Nations to Adopt 100% Sustainable Ocean Management Target

DUBAI (December 2, 2023) — On December 2, the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) launched the Joint Declaration on Ocean and Climate Action, calling for countries around the world to sustainably manage 100% of their national waters, to safeguard the long term health and resilience of the ocean. The Declaration, signed […]

Joint declaration on ocean and climate action

The health of the ocean, and the livelihoods and economies that depend on it, requires the world to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Achieving this goal necessitates rapid and deep and, in most cases immediate, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors beginning this decade. […]

10 ocean events to watch out for at COP28

This year’s COP offers a unique and historic opportunity to correct the course on climate change through the first-ever “Global Stocktake”, shining a spotlight on whether the world is doing enough to curb emissions, build resilience and increase financial investments in climate solutions.  A major focus of COP28 will be how countries leverage the findings […]

Joint Ocean Panel Leaders Communiqué 2023

We, the members of the Ocean Panel, acknowledge that a healthy ocean is the foundation for a healthy planet, and we must take urgent and interlinked actions to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss and the significant threats they pose to ocean health and human wellbeing. A sustainable ocean […]

Norway Hosts Ocean Conference

Bergen, Norway   The Norwegian government is holding a special event on 17 April to bring the work of the Ocean Panel ‘home’ to a national audience. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will lead a conference that places the work of the Ocean Panel into a national context in Norway. It will showcase the government’s […]

Our Ocean Conference – Commitments Roundup

The annual Our Ocean Conference took place in Panama on 2-3 March bringing together government, civil society and business groups to discuss and take action on key ocean issues. Now in its eighth year, the conference has become a major platform for countries to announce new commitments to protect the ocean. This year, participants made […]

All 17 Ocean Panel countries commit to international agreement to tackle illegal fishing

The Government of Mexico has ratified the Port State Measures Agreement, a critical tool in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Jamaica also announced that they will accede to the agreement in the coming months. These developments will mean every member of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) […]

Joint Leaders Statement on Sustainable Coastal and Marine Tourism: Supporting Climate, Biodiversity and Sustainable Ocean Economies

Coastal and marine tourism represents at least 50 percent of total global tourism.1 It constitutes the largest economic sector for most small island developing states and coastal states.    Coastal and marine tourism is highly dependent on the quality of ecosystems to attract visitors—and it is extremely vulnerable to threats such as climate change and biodiversity […]

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