Key Activities

COP16 Wrap-Up: “Nature Is Also Blue” and Ocean Conservation Milestones

5 November, 2024

As COP16 in Cali, Colombia, concluded on November 1, the “Nature Is Also Blue” campaign left a lasting impression on the conference, both within the negotiations and outside, underscoring the essential role of marine ecosystems in planetary health and in global biodiversity protection efforts. The ocean community championed “Nature Is Also Blue” as a rallying call to remind world leaders of the ocean’s indispensable contribution to achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s goals.

Continue reading COP16 Wrap-Up: “Nature Is Also Blue” and Ocean Conservation Milestones

Highlights from Ocean Day at COP16: Nature Is Also Blue

28 October, 2024

Ocean Day at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, was an inspiring moment for the ocean community, bringing together leaders, Indigenous representatives, environmental advocates, and youth voices—all united by a shared understanding that Nature Is Also Blue. The day highlighted the ocean’s central role in achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and its ambitious goals for our planet’s future.

Continue reading Highlights from Ocean Day at COP16: Nature Is Also Blue

What’s at Stake for the Ocean at COP16?

23 October, 2024

As the ocean community gathers in Cali, Colombia, for the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16), the stakes for the ocean could not be higher. This moment represents an urgent turning point for marine and coastal biodiversity, especially as we have just six years left to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). But what does this mean for the ocean, and why is it crucial for the ocean community to take action now?

Continue reading What’s at Stake for the Ocean at COP16?

Nature Is Also Blue: Ocean Biodiversity in Focus at COP 16

17 October, 2024

As the world comes together for the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16), the Nature Is Also Blue campaign ensures that ocean biodiversity remains a key focus. From the High Seas to the Deep Ocean, and from the Coasts to the Poles, the ocean plays a vital role in sustaining life on Earth.

Continue reading Nature Is Also Blue: Ocean Biodiversity in Focus at COP 16

Just 2.8% of the world’s ocean is protected “effectively”

17 October, 2024

Governments far short of pledge to conserve 30% of the ocean by 2030

Two years after the world’s nations committed to conserve at least 30% of the Earth’s land, freshwater, and ocean by 2030, only 2.8% of the ocean is assessed as likely to be effectively protected, reveals a report launched today by a consortium of nature NGOs and funders.

Continue reading Just 2.8% of the world’s ocean is protected “effectively”

Earth Day 2024 – Message in a Bottle

17 April, 2024

Earth Day 2024 calls for a 60% reduction in plastic, under the theme “Planet vs Plastic”. The issue of plastic pollution is felt across the globe on land and sea alike. The interconnectedness of our one global ocean means that plastic waste is being transported around the world, both polluting the ocean and washing up on shores far from where it emanated. Over the past three years the “Message in a Bottle” experiment is a stark example of just how far and fast our plastic waste can travel, and seeks to deliver a message to the world that the single plastic use needs to cease.

Continue reading Earth Day 2024 – Message in a Bottle

Elections Galore – an Essential Year for Ocean Conservation

23 January, 2024

In the year ahead, the world will witness an “Election Super Year”, with numerous countries hosting elections to determine their future governments. The number of elections in 2024 has the potential to create high turnover in governments and policy, which can heavily influence international collaboration on pressing issues such as climate change and environmental issues – specifically ocean conservation. Leaders elected in the year ahead will have the power to shape policies and partnerships that directly impact the health of our ocean. 

Continue reading Elections Galore – an Essential Year for Ocean Conservation