Why the Ocean Must Be at the Front of the Agenda at COP30

Why the Ocean Must Be at the Front of the Agenda at COP30

Over 3 billion people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods, and the ocean economy is worth nearly $4 trillion a year, around 5% of global GDP. Yet, less than 1% of climate finance supports ocean-based solutions. This must change.

At this year’s COP30 in Belém, Brazil, world leaders, scientists, and ocean advocates are uniting behind a simple truth: ocean action is climate action.

 

Why the Ocean Matters for Climate

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, the ocean has absorbed around 30% of human-driven CO₂ and over 90% of excess heat, while ocean-based climate solutions could provide up to 35% of the emissions reductions needed by 2050 to keep global warming below 1.5 °C.

Despite this, ocean health and coastal communities remain severely underfunded and overlooked in global climate strategies. COP30 is our chance to change that narrative.

The #CommitToOcean Campaign

  • Led by young ocean leaders like Mark Haver, the #CommitToOcean campaign calls on governments to:
    Integrate ocean-based solutions into national climate commitments (Blue NDCs).
  • Unlock blue finance for coastal and island communities.
    Elevate ocean ambition through the Ocean-Climate Dialogue and High-Level Ministerials.
  • Together, these steps can unleash scalable, science-based solutions that protect people, nature, and the planet.

Read and Sign You Name Here!

Seatrees and COP30

At Seatrees, our work restoring coastal ecosystemms directly supports the goals of COP30. These ecosystems not only store carbon and support biodiversity, but they also empower local communities and strengthen the blue economy.

Our Biodiversity Blocks and Seatrees+ models provide the financial and practical pathways needed to accelerate this transformation, exactly what world leaders are calling for at COP30.

A Call to Action

The ocean gives us life. Now it’s time to give back. Join Seatrees in amplifying the call for ocean action:

  1. Sign the #CommitToOcean letter.

  2. Share the message that ocean action is climate action.

  3. Support marine restoration by planting a Seatree.
     

Together, we can make sure the ocean finally takes center stage at COP30, and in every climate conversation that follows.