Turning the Tide from Ambition to Action - Progress Towards Implementing Voluntary Commitments for the Ocean

The ocean is essential to all life, regulating our climate, providing food and livelihoods for billions of people, and comprising 90% of Earth’s living space. And yet, it faces urgent challenges including climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. To address these challenges and deliver on negotiated outcomes of global agreements, governments and civil society organizations are utilizing voluntary commitments, including pledges of new finance and policy solutions. Since 2014, the Our Ocean Conference has been a critical platform, generating nearly 2800 ambitious, concrete commitments valued at over $170 billion.

However, at the inflection point of this “critical decade” for the ocean, it is time to shift the narrative from ambition to action. With only five years remaining to meet key targets in 2030 – achieving 30% protection of the global ocean and reaching the goals of SDG-14, Life Below Water – commitment makers must rapidly deploy pledged finance, enact and enforce proposed marine protected areas and other conservation measures, and deliver on promised projects to build capacity and resilience in local communities.

A moderated discussion between researchers, governments, and representatives from intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations that participate in the Our Ocean Conference will explore how these findings can serve as a baseline for taking stock of progress towards meeting our collective ocean goals – where has progress been made, where gaps remain, and where our attention should be focused, especially ahead of key global events like COP30, UNEA-7, and the World Conservation Congress. They will also discuss lessons learned on the conditions that can enable or impede the transition from announcements made on the global stage to implementation on the ground.