A turning point for oceans in climate action

The COP28 not only stressed the crucial role of oceans in combating climate change but also laid the ground for enhanced integration of ocean action in UNFCCC processes.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai closed with an agreement that signals the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era, by making the first explicit call in the final Global Stocktake outcome (GST) to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems. On the very first day of the conference, Parties also made an important decision on climate finance, finally operationalising the Loss & Damage Fund and allocating for it US$792 million in pledges.

The need to pay attention to ocean issues at the climate talks in Dubai was emphasised way before the start of the COP28. The latest Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue, which took place in June 2023, focused on the topics of coastal ecosystem restoration (including blue carbon) and fisheries. It aimed to strengthen ocean-climate action at national level and under the UNFCCC process, which was included in the summary report of the dialogue together with messages for COP28. The launch of the Ocean Breakthroughs ahead of COP28, once again highlighted the mobilisation of the ocean community towards the recognition of the oceans’ role in climate negotiations, resulting in the largest ocean pavilion to date and in the organisation of numerous of ocean-related events.

COP28 was also marked by several announcements to scale up ocean-based climate action. Key highlights included the formation of the Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA) by leading climate and ocean institutions, along with an initial pledge exceeding US$250 million that will advance ocean-based solutions to climate change across seven key areas over a five-year period. Efforts to support ocean action were further buoyed by initiatives such as the “Rapid Assistance Fund”, aimed at supporting countries in the development and implementation of national Sustainable Ocean Plans. Additionally, the Joint Declaration on ocean and climate action, signed by 18 countries, underscored the imperative of sustainably managing 100 per cent of the ocean under national jurisdictions.

COP28 also witnessed momentum in marine conservation efforts for mangrove and coral ecosystems. 21 countries formally endorsed the Mangrove Breakthrough, securing momentum to restore and protect 15 million hectares of mangroves globally by 2023 as a nature-based solution to climate change. To support coral conservation and protection, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) announced the mobilisation of more than US$200 million of new direct investment. Additionally, Pacific nations presented the Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity Plan, which will aim to sustainably manage 100 per cent of the Pacific Ocean and effectively protect 30 per cent of it, making it one of the world’s largest conservation efforts.

Decarbonising shipping emerged as another important ocean-related action with more than 50 announcements from countries, ports, and shipping companies towards scaling up zero-emissions under the Green Shipping Challenge.

As for negotiations, the agreed text of the GST outcome recognized the oceans’ role in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, making several references to the ocean from the preamble to the guidance and ways forward, and acknowledging the oceans’ potential for both mitigation and adaptation. In the preamble, Parties note “the importance of ensuring the integrity of all ecosystems, including (…) the ocean” and in the mitigation section (Article 33) emphasised “the importance of conserving, protecting and restoring nature and ecosystems towards achieving the Paris Agreement temperature goal including (…) marine ecosystems acting as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases and by conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards (…)”. Noticeably, Article 35 “Invites Parties to preserve and restore oceans and coastal ecosystems and scale up, as appropriate, ocean-based mitigation action”, recognising the need for broader ocean-based mitigation solutions. However, concerns have been raised as the suggested wording in this article neither mentions the need to ensure social and environmental safeguards, nor specifies that ocean-based mitigation action should do no harm to coastal and marine ecosystems. This is important to avoid geoengineering approaches and/or other harmful practices that gain increasing attention despite little to no proof that they work, but may have unknown consequences and cause potential harm to ocean biodiversity and its functions. A precautionary approach to high-risk, unproven approaches in ocean-climate action, such as carbon dioxide removal and marine geoengineering, is imperative while the urgent fossil fuel phase-out remains the priority.

COP28 underscored the oceans’ indispensable role in combating climate change, laid the ground for further integration of the ocean action in the UNFCCC processes, reflected the need for concrete actions aimed at preserving marine ecosystems, and raised questions on the danger from potentially harmful practices, which should also be carefully addressed in the next Ocean and Climate Change dialogue planned for June 2024.

Sofia Sadogurska
Ecoaction, Ukraine