Ocean & Coasts

A healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems are vitally important for humans and the environment. The ocean regulates the climate, absorbs much of the carbon dioxide emitted from human activity, and provides fish, the main source of protein for over three billion people. The ecosystem goods and services the ocean provides are estimated to be worth USD 12 trillion. The biological diversity of ocean and coastal regions also provides important services including food security, feed for livestock, raw materials for medicines, building materials from coral rock and sand, and natural defenses against coastal erosion and flooding. Millions of people rely on marine and coastal biodiversity for their food security, income, and socio-cultural and economic development. Human activities put pressure on coastal and marine ecosystems, including through climate change, overfishing, and pollution. Ninety percent of the world's fisheries are either fully or over-exploited. Eight million tons of plastics enter the sea each year and contaminate a quarter of all seafood. Eighty percent of wastewater is discharged without treatment, damaging human health and biodiversity.

Events and Articles

Filter by:

Showing 11 - 20 of 165 results

2nd Part of the 30th Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority

The three weeks of meetings revealed both how far the International Seabed Authority has come over the past 30 years and how far it must go before it can effectively fulfil its mandate of controlling deep seabed activities for the benefit of humankind, while protecting the marine environment.
Event 7 July 2025 - 25 July 2025

2025 UN Ocean Conference

The Conference brought together all stakeholders and allowed for a holistic debate and adoption of a political declaration that covered the depth and breadth of actions necessary to conserve and sustainably use the Ocean and marine resources.
Event 9 June 2025 - 13 June 2025

Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF)

As part of the Third UN Ocean Conference, the Blue Economy and Finance Forum brought together stakeholders from the public, business, banks, insurance companies, and philanthropies, to share their experiences and analyze how to scale up solutions to restore the Ocean’s health.
Event 7 June 2025 - 8 June 2025

Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Summit

Representatives of coastal cities and regions as well as from island States met to discuss how to secure their futures against the multidimensional threats posed by climate change and sea level rise.
Event 7 June 2025 - 8 June 2025

69th Meeting of the GEF Council

Through the “family” of GEF trust funds, Council Members approved over USD 250 million in funding for projects and programs targeting biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, chemicals and waste, and shared marine and freshwater ecosystems issues. Talks occurred in the shadow of recently commenced negotiations for the GEF’s ninth replenishment period, which many expect will be challenging due to shifting geopolitics and donor priorities.
Event 2 June 2025 - 6 June 2025

1st Session of the Preparatory Commission for the Entry into Force of the BBNJ Agreement and the Convening of the 1st Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement

Preparing for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement, delegates addressed the nuts and bolts that will guide its orderly implementation, including rules of procedure, arrangements for the Secretariat, funding, arrangements with the Global Environment Facility and operationalization of the Clearing-House Mechanism.
Event 14 April 2025 - 25 April 2025

16th Meeting of the Monaco Blue Initiative

Participants reflected on how to achieve urgent tasks—such as obtaining sufficient ratifications to enable the entry into force of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies under the WTO and of the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction—and how to ensure these global instruments deliver on their ambitious objectives.
Event 23 March 2025 - 24 March 2025

1st Part of the 30th Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority

Standing at a crossroads, the Authority needs to balance or resolve competing interests and approaches toward commercial deep-sea mining, especially in light of the announcement that a company has initiated a process to apply for exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits under US legislation, potentially undermining international law.
Event 17 March 2025 - 28 March 2025

68th Meeting of the GEF Council

The nearly USD 700 million Work Program approved focuses heavily on chemicals and waste at a time when the GEF hopes to prove to the multilateral community it has the capacity to serve as the financial mechanism for a global plastics treaty and that it could play a significant role in realizing the vision of the Global Framework on Chemicals.
Event 16 December 2024 - 20 December 2024