The seventh Our Ocean Conference concluded in Palau with 410 commitments worth $16.35 billion. Focusing on six Areas of Action, the conference convened partners from across the globe to identify solutions to manage marine resources, increase the ocean’s resilience to climate change and safeguard its health for generations to come.
Albeit strongly affected by human activities, the ocean and its ecosystems are suffering the adverse effects of climate change and intense human activities. While bilateral and multilateral development finance have been flowing into ocean-related activities over the last years, only a bold global commitment can help achieve Agenda 2030.
Since 2014, Our Ocean Conference has been implemented to commit to concrete and significant actions to protect the ocean. In 2022, the seventh conference was hosted by the Republic of Palau and the United States with the final aim to demonstrate how blue financing can sustain ocean conservation and development.
It highlighted the importance of ocean-based climate solutions in keeping the 1.5-degree target within reach and improving global climate resilience. The event also featured 22 side events on issues from marine protected areas and blue foods to clean shipping and ocean-climate finance.
Since the first Our Ocean Conference, stakeholders garnered more than 1,400 commitments worth approximately $91.4 billion and protecting more than five million square miles of the ocean. This year, the conference made it possible to strengthen the commitments of countries and key stakeholders, resulting in the following commitments:
- Climate: 89 commitments worth $4.9 billion
- Sustainable fisheries:60 commitments worth $668 million
- Sustainable blue economies: 89 commitments worth $5.7 billion
- Marine protected areas:58 commitments worth $1.3 billion
- Maritime security: 42 commitments worth $358 million
- Marine pollution: 71 commitments worth $3.3 billion
More details: https://ourocean2022.pw/
