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Island States Ocean Summit Launches Ocean States Initiative to support Sustainable Ocean Planning

Leaders, ministers, scientists and international partners gathered from June 3-4 at the Island States Ocean Summit in Tokyo, co-chaired by President Surangel S. Whipps Jr of Palau alongside Yohei Sasakawa Honorary Chair of the Nippon Foundation and Vidar Helgesen Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.   The summit highlighted the critical role of island states in ocean stewardship and the urgent need for international cooperation to address climate change, biodiversity loss and the sustainable management of ocean resources.  A key announcement was the […]

Colombia Commits to 100% Sustainable Ocean Management

San José, Costa Rica (April 21, 2026) — Colombia today committed to sustainably manage all of its national waters by 2030, becoming the latest member of the 100% Alliance. The declaration was made by Colombia’s Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, who highlighted the ocean’s strategic importance for the country’s development and the urgency of advancing their protection. […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

Ocean Panel Leaders Meet during UN General Assembly

New York, (21 September 2022) – Leaders of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy met in person to discuss ocean-based climate solutions and the financial investments needed to support them.  Leaders and representatives from the 17 ‘Ocean Panel’ countries came together during the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. […]

United Kingdom Joins High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy

Lisbon, Portugal (JUNE 29, 2022) – Today, the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) welcomes the addition of a new member, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom has announced its shared ambition to sustainably manage 100% of the ocean area under their national jurisdiction. The announcement […]

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