Featured: Countries sign onto a joint declaration on ocean and climate action
This paper offers four principles for national ocean accounting and discusses methods for measuring and valuing ocean assets and their rise and decline. The paper paves the way to implement already-agreed statistical standards and new innovations in national accounting for the ocean, enabling the national accounts to become a more useful tool for creating a […]
The ocean faces urgent environmental challenges and taking action to protect ocean-based ecosystems and ensure the environmental sustainability of ocean-based activities will help deliver a host of benefits to society. Building on the Special Report ‘The Ocean as a Solution to Climate Change: Five Opportunities for Action’, this new Ocean Panel–commissioned research finds that investing $1 in key […]
In paving the way for a sustainable ocean economy, it is important to learn from comparable global transitions in the past. This paper examines past successes and failures and their key contributing factors, identifying relevant lessons learned to be applied to the ocean context. The paper considers the current dynamics of transition already under way, […]
This paper examines the leakage of plastics and other pollutants into the ocean and the resulting impacts on marine ecosystems, human health and the economy. The paper comments on the kind of regenerative global industry that needs to be built, as well as integrated solutions to reduce all pollutants of the ocean. The role of […]
Drawing lessons from previous successes and failures, the paper identifies existing impediments in policy and practice and lays out a set of steps and guiding principles towards successfully integrated ocean management. It assesses current opportunities to accelerate progress and the impact of these opportunities on jobs and equity. On 20 May 2020, the paper was […]
This paper examines the distribution of species and critical marine habitats across the world’s oceans; analyses trends in drivers, pressures, impacts and response; and establishes thresholds for protecting biodiversity hotspots, as well as indicators to monitor change. From this scientific base, it assesses the current legal framework and available tools for biodiversity protection, current gaps […]
The paper outlines the tensions and trade-offs and presents recommendations for addressing some of the underlying and systemic features of ocean inequities and how policy can support the transition to a sustainable and just ocean economy. On 6th March 2020, the paper was launched via a webinar ‘Towards Ocean Equity’, moderated by Expert Group Co-Chair Jane Lubchenco […]
By looking at the breadth of areas in need of reform, this Blue Paper lays out a methodology for addressing IUU fishing, including best practices for implementing the Port State Measures Agreement and other means to prevent IUU fishing catches from entering the market. It also discusses ways to promote technologies for combating IUU fishing, […]
The paper examines existing and expected climate-driven changes, highlights opportunities for effective institutions and markets to reduce these impacts, explores opportunities for investments by highlighting the magnitude and direction of climate change impacts, and provides recommendations for how countries can achieve blue economic growth by implementing policies and infrastructure that reduce risks and build resilience […]
This paper considers the status and future trends of food production through fisheries and aquaculture at regional and global scales, the opportunities of ocean-based food in achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and recommendations for how current barriers might be overcome to transition to more sustainable and abundant food production from the ocean. ‘The Future of […]
