Environmental (Commonwealth Union)_ At COP29’s Ocean Action Day in Baku, 23 leading environmental NGOs issued a unified call to integrate ocean conservation into global climate strategies. Highlighting the ocean as Earth’s “blue beating heart,” the coalition emphasized its critical role in mitigating climate change and supporting over three billion people who rely on it for sustenance and income.
The ocean, which covers more than 70% of the planet’s surface, absorbs significant amounts of carbon and provides essential services for biodiversity and humanity. However, vital blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass meadows are vanishing due to human activity, threatening food security and climate stability. The coalition urged world leaders to prioritize the restoration and protection of these habitats within national climate plans and international agreements.
Illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing poses a severe threat to marine ecosystems, disrupting biodiversity and undermining the ocean’s ability to sequester carbon. NGOs stressed the need for coordinated global action to combat illegal fishing practices, preserve biodiversity, and maintain the ocean’s climate-regulating functions.
Steve Trent, CEO of the Environmental Justice Foundation, called the ocean “our most valuable nature-based solution in the fight against the climate crisis,” urging governments to make marine protection a core component of climate action. “Illegal fishing jeopardizes biodiversity and compromises the ocean’s role in sustaining life and reducing atmospheric carbon. We need stronger international collaboration and a united approach to safeguard these ecosystems,” he said.
Joan Edwards of The Wildlife Trusts emphasized strategic policy changes to minimize harmful practices like bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). “Protecting blue carbon habitats is critical to achieving net-zero emissions and preserving 30% of seas by 2030,” she stated.
Dr. Silvia Frey of KYMA underscored the interdependence of climate protection and marine conservation, urging international climate policies to include safeguards for mangroves, coral reefs, and deep-sea ecosystems. Similarly, Heather Starck of the Coral Reef Alliance called for bold commitments to restore coral reefs and halt destructive practices like deep-sea mining.
Franziska Walter of Whale and Dolphin Conservation Germany highlighted the urgency of prioritizing marine ecosystems, warning that neglecting these habitats jeopardizes humanity’s future.
The coalition’s message at COP29 was clear: protecting the ocean is not optional—it’s an indispensable part of solving the climate crisis and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.
