11 October 2024
Welcome to the Special Issue of the Global Ocean Forum’s Ocean and Climate News dedicated to the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion. The Global Ocean Forum is thrilled to return as the lead organizer for the Virtual Ocean Pavilion at COP29 in close partnership with Plymouth Marine Laboratory together with a wide range of collaborators from around the world. This Special Issue will highlight the many features of the Virtual Ocean Pavilion (6-22 November 2024) to be held during the upcoming UNFCCC COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan and recent ocean and climate events and publications.
The COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion
What is the Virtual Ocean Pavilion?
This free online platform available from 6 – 22 November 2024 is dedicated to raising the visibility of the ocean and showcasing why the ocean matters in climate negotiations and to all life on our planet. Registration is open to all.
The use of a virtual platform dedicated to marine issues and concerns aims to democratize the ocean at COPs and promote unity and inclusivity, whilst increasing knowledge, commitment, and action for the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus at key events during the UN Climate Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is also a key tool in increasing transparency and equitable access to climate discussions and information.
Building on the momentum of past Virtual Ocean Pavilions (COP26, COP27, COP28) the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion will:
- Continue to raise the profile of the ocean among members of the ocean and climate community;
- Provide a communication platform for those who are unable to participate in COP29 in person from various parts of the world;
- Address COP29 priorities while promoting the space for ocean in the climate conference;
- Promote cross-sectoral cooperation and collaboration on ocean-climate action at the national, regional, and global levels; and
- Highlight the opportunities provided by the new Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction and the 2025 UN Ocean Conference action panel themes to leverage the ocean-climate
Explore the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion
This year, the Pavilion will offer the opportunity to join live ocean and climate events, explore virtual exhibition booths, watch on-location COP29 reporting and interviews with delegates, test your Virtual Ocean Pavilion and COP29 knowledge with quizzes, access valuable opportunities for networking, and discover events and art exploring the ocean. You can also explore new features, such as roundtable discussions, facilitating greater interaction among participants as well as the opportunity to promote and debate key messages emanating from the COP29 Presidency, High-Level Climate Change Champions, Ocean Breakthroughs and other MP-GCA initiatives, and the 2024 Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue.
Register for free and contact the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion Team (Miriam Balgos, Thecla Keizer, Catie Mitchell) for more information on how to become involved. Please see below for an overview of the many exciting features of this year’s COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion.
Dive into the Exhibition Hall
The Virtual Ocean Pavilion Exhibition Hall is returning this year with up to twelve ocean exhibit booths organized by leading ocean and climate organizations. These interactive exhibits will showcase new and ongoing initiatives and provide free access to a wealth of ocean and climate information for all attendees. All participants will be able to collect information shared in a “Virtual Delegate Bag” to ensure that the material is accessible long after the Pavilion closes.
Join our Live Events
This year’s Pavilion will feature a wide range of events covering topics across the ocean and climate nexus. The preliminary agenda (to be finalized by 30 October) includes five days of live events organized around themes presented by the COP29 priorities, the new Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National (BBNJ Agreement), and the road to UNOC 2025. An overview of events in development for this year’s Pavilion are included below.
6 November
From EEZs to the High Seas: Leveraging the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus in accelerating the implementation of ocean-climate action
Co-organizers: Global Ocean Forum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory in collaboration with Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of Southeast Asia and the Common Oceans Cross-sectoral Project
11 November
High-level Opening Event
Co-organizers: Global Ocean Forum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Impacts of the green transition and food security on the ocean’s role in climate
Organizer: World Maritime University
Oceans of innovation: Leveraging technology for ocean biodiversity and community empowerment.
Co-organizers: Gerard J. Mangone Climate Change Science and Policy Hub in collaboration with the School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware; Delaware Environmental Institute
12 November
The future of shipping at the biodiversity and climate nexus
Organizer: World Maritime University
18 November
Unlocking ocean-based solutions to climate change: A youth-led workshop
Co-organizers: Nausicaa, World Ocean Network, and Gerard J. Mangone Climate Change Science and Policy Hub, University of Delaware; Delaware Environmental Institute
The critical role of regional research and academic institutions in promoting the development and adoption of strategies to combat climate change by leveraging the ocean-climate-biodiversity interlinkages
Co-organizers: Global Ocean Forum, University of the West Indies (St. Augustine and Cave Hill), and University of the South Pacific
21 November
Ocean, climate and biodiversity interlinkages: Advances in understanding of the nature-climate nexus
Organizer: Fauna & Flora
High-level Closing Event
Co-organizers: Global Ocean Forum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory
For increased accessibility to the Virtual Ocean Pavilion events, Wordly translation in multiple languages will be made available during the live sessions. Calendar invitations to registered users will send notifications to remind them of events in a timely manner with the aim of increasing attendance. Unable to join a live event? All sessions will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing throughout the duration of this year’s Pavilion.
Preview the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion at the 2024 East Asian Seas Congress
The Global Ocean Forum and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory are pleased to be organizing a virtual side event at the 2024 East Asian Seas Congress in collaboration with the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) and the Common Oceans Cross-sectoral Project. This side event, titled From EEZs to the High Seas: Leveraging the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus in accelerating the implementation of ocean-climate action, will be held virtually on 6 November from 17:00 to 18:30 China Standard Time (GMT+8) [11:00 to 12:30 Central European Time (GMT+2), 5:00 to 6:30 US Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)]. The event will consist of two segments and will feature two panels of speakers representing government, intergovernmental, and civil society organizations.
OVERVIEW
Segment 1 aims to discuss integrated and collaborative approaches used to advance the ocean agenda in the climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development frameworks. It will highlight the opportunities presented by the BBNJ Agreement for leveraging the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus in accelerating the implementation of ocean-climate action by exploring the mitigation and adaptation potential of the vast high seas.
Segment 2 focuses on what’s to come for the ocean community at COP29, providing a preview of the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion and of ocean events at COP29 more generally. This segment will open with high-level remarks on the outcomes of the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue 2024. Next, the Ocean Breakthroughs and the activities of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MP-GCA) at COP29 will be presented, followed by a presentation on the activities of the Friends of the Ocean and Climate at COP29. An introduction to the Virtual Ocean Pavilion will then follow, with a preview of the Pavilion exhibits and live events, an overview of the searchable COP29 ocean-related events tracker and other Pavilion features.
SPEAKERS
Keynote Speaker
- Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean
Segment 1: From EEZs to the High Seas
- Ambassador Janine Coye-Felson, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Belize to the United Nations in New York; Co-chair of the BBNJ Agreement Preparatory Commission
- Mr. Duncan Currie, Legal and Political Advisor, High Seas Alliance
- Ms. Danielle Yeow, Lead, Climate Change Law and Policy, Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore
- Ms. Johanna Diwa-Acallar, Capacity Development Specialist, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
- Ms. Viktoria Varga Lencses, Program Coordinator, Common Oceans Program; Senior Fishery Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
Segment 2: Showcasing the Ocean at COP29
- Mr. Julio Cordano, Counselor, Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations in New York; Co-facilitator, Ocean & Climate Change Dialogue 2024
- Ms. Loreley Picourt, Executive Director, Ocean & Climate Platform, Focal Point for Ocean and Coastal Zones, Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action
- Ms. Anna-Marie Laura, Senior Director, Climate Policy, Ocean Conservancy
- Ms. Thecla Keizer, Deputy Head of International Office, Plymouth Marine Laboratory
- Ms. Catie Mitchell, Research Assistant, Global Ocean Forum
Moderator
- Mr. Richard Delaney, Interim Executive Director, Center for Coastal Studies, US; President, Global Ocean Forum Board of Directors
Get Involved and Support the Virtual Ocean Pavilion
Participate
Register for free to access live and on–demand ocean and climate events, explore virtual exhibition booths, watch on-location COP29 reporting and interviews with delegates, test your Virtual Ocean Pavilion and COP29 knowledge with quizzes, access valuable opportunities for networking, and discover events and art exploring the ocean.
Connect
Have ideas for a live event, exhibit, or roundtable discussion? Please submit an Expression of Interest Form at your earliest convenience or contact the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion Team (Miriam Balgos, Thecla Keizer, Catie Mitchell) and share your thoughts to ensure this year’s Pavilion is engaging and accessible for all.
Share
This year, the Pavilion Team is focused on increasing participation and interaction at the Virtual Ocean Pavilion. Please consider sharing the Virtual Ocean Pavilion across your own networks of colleagues, classmates, friends, and family.
Support
The Virtual Ocean Pavilion is organized by volunteers who believe in its mission of raising the visibility of the ocean and showcasing why the ocean matters in climate negotiations and to all life on our planet. Please consider donating to support this monumental effort and ensure that the Pavilion can continue to operate for many years to come. Donations will directly support the costs of virtual platform services, on-the-ground reporting at COP29, and everything that goes into making this event a success.
Highlights from the Past Virtual Ocean Pavilions
The Virtual Ocean Pavilion is a long-lasting resource for all. Reports from past iterations of the Virtual Ocean Pavilion are available on the Roadmap to Ocean and Climate Action (ROCA) Strategy webpage here. In addition, recordings of live events, resources from exhibits, and other information materials that were featured in the past pavilions are accessible with the links provided below.
Ocean & Climate News
Informal Report: 2024 Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue
The Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue is mandated as an annual dialogue under the UNFCCC. Previous Dialogues (2020, 2022, 2023) focused on how to increase action to build resilience to a changing climate and cut emissions and identified the ocean-climate nexus as a place for sustainable climate-smart ocean and coastal solutions and actions, based on the best available science, that can be reflected in national climate goals, policies and strategies and effect a sustainable ocean economy, among other considerations.
Mr. Julio Cordano (Chile), and Niall O’Dea (Canada) are the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue co-facilitators for the biennium 2023-24. The 2024 Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue was held from 11-12 June in Bonn, France as part of the 2024 Bonn Climate Change Conference. The 2024 Dialogue focused on 1) Marine biodiversity conservation and coastal resilience; and 2) Technology needs for ocean-climate action, including finance links.
Key messages emerging from the Dialogue include the following:
- The next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), due in February 2025, provides a great opportunity for Parties to enhance their ocean-based mitigation and adaptation efforts – noting that nature-based solutions should not be a substitute for drastic emissions reductions.
- Parties are in need of additional guidance on how to fully leverage ocean-based measures in their national strategies, and highlighted the role of the Dialogue in carrying forward the conclusions of the Global Stocktake and guiding the revision of their NDCs.
- The Dialogue should be following a clear roadmap to be defined for the years ahead in order to progressively address a variety of solutions and continuously take stock of progress made and remaining gaps to fill. It should also consider more focused topics to facilitate concrete action.
- There is a clear need for increased cooperation and synergies within the UNFCCC and across frameworks, especially the Convention on Biological Diversity, the High Seas Treaty, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this context, the next UN Ocean Conference can act as a lever to accelerate ongoing processes.
An informal summary report of the discussion prepared by the co-facilitators is now available here.
High-level Meeting on Sea Level Rise
The first-ever high-level plenary session focused on the challenges of sea level rise was held on 25 September 2024 during the 79th UN General Assembly in New York. With an overall theme of “Addressing the threats posed by sea-level rise”, the high-level meeting focused on building common understanding, mobilizing political leadership, and promoting multisectoral, multi-stakeholder collaboration and international cooperation towards addressing the threats posed by sea-level rise. During this meeting, the Global Center for Climate Mobility formally announced its support for the launch of the forthcoming Ocean Rise & Coastal Resilience Coalition of Cities and Regions chaired by the city of Nice in preparation for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.
Publication Spotlight: Fishing and Aquaculture in a Changing Climate: Challenges and Perspectives
On 15 October, the day before the Food and Agriculture Organization’s World Food Day, the Ocean and Climate Platform (OCP) will unveil its new publication Fishing and Aquaculture in a Changing Climate: Challenges and Perspectives.
Developed within the framework of the Knowledge Dissemination (DIFCO) working group with the support of the Scientific Committee and around twenty members of the OCP, this publication deciphers the main findings of major scientific reports (IPCC, IPBES, FAO, WOA2), highlighting the deep connections between climate change, marine fisheries, and aquaculture activities.
The OCP will launch a five-day communication campaign over five days, starting on 14 October, to accompany this publication. Please see this Information Sheet for more detail. As part of this campaign, a communication toolkit is available in both French and English. The kit includes social media posts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), along with visuals and content to be shared on the indicated dates. The publication will be shared via the communication toolkits once it is finalized. Please note that the toolkit materials are embargoed until the indicated dates and until OCP’s official communication on its platforms.
Additional Upcoming Ocean Events in 2024-2025
In addition to those events detailed above, there will be several major ocean events to look forward to in 2024 and 2025, including the following:
- Regional Workshop for Latin America on the BBNJ Agreement, 14-18 October 2024, Chile
- 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16), 21 October – 1 November 2024, Colombia
- 12th Annual World Congress of Ocean, 12-14 November 2024, Singapore
- UN Ocean Conference, 9-13 June 2025, France
- BBNJ Symposium, 18-19 February 2025, Singapore
Prepared by Catie Mitchell, Miriam Balgos, and Thecla Keizer