December 20, 2024
Welcome to the December 2024 edition of the Global Ocean Forum’s Ocean & Climate News. This issue focuses on the UNFCCC COP29 held in Baku, Azerbaijan (11 – 22 November 2024), its significant outcomes, perspectives on ocean outcomes from ocean leaders, highlights from the Global Ocean Forum’s participation at COP29, and the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion. The issue will also provide a status update on the Common Oceans Cross-sectoral Project and will close with other relevant ocean and climate events and opportunities.
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Ocean & Climate Recent Events
COP29 Key Outcomes
The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan was touted as the ‘Finance COP’ and thus the adoption of a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance to support developing countries in their climate efforts was a focal point of discussions. Despite clear divides and tensions surrounding the negotiations, delegates agreed on mobilizing at least USD 300 billion annually from developed countries, and at least USD 1.3 trillion annually from all financial actors, by 2035. This positive step forward still leaves many remaining questions, notably how developing countries will obtain sufficient support to face the increasing impacts of climate change and how the ocean will benefit from this increase in climate finance.
In response to political tensions, several countries reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism, a key message included in the G20 Leaders’ Declaration released during the COP, which recognized the need to rapidly and substantially “scale up climate finance from billions to trillions from all sources.” UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell noted that the statement from G20 leaders sent a clear message to negotiators at COP29: “A successful new finance goal…is in every country’s clear interests.”
While Parties were expected to translate the conclusions of the Global Stocktake into concrete action, carrying forward the legacy of COP28, negotiations ultimately ended in deadlock and the decision was pushed to the next climate meetings, representing a significant setback in efforts to phase out fossil fuels. On a more positive note, significant progress was made in mitigation efforts under other processes. Most notably, after nearly a decade of work, countries finally agreed on the final framework for how carbon markets will operate under the Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
COP29 also saw progress on adaptation, with the launch of the Baku Adaptation Roadmap and the establishment of the Baku high-level dialogue on adaptation intended to advance efforts under the Global Goal on Adaptation. Parties also reached an agreement on key technical aspects necessary for the operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation, with a particular focus on indicators. Additionally, steps were undertaken to operationalize the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, which will be able to start financing projects in 2025.
Despite limited opportunities to advance the ocean-climate nexus within the negotiations and secure specific ocean language in decision texts, Parties expressed strong interest in advancing ocean-based climate action. On the final day of the conference, members of the Friends of the Ocean and Climate group reaffirmed their “steadfast commitment to promoting the ocean-climate nexus at the UN Climate Change Conferences and utilizing sustainable ocean-based mitigation and adaptation actions”. Brazil, which demonstrated a clear interest in ocean issues at COP29 and included ocean-based measures in its revised Nationally Determined Contribution, will play a crucial role with its COP30 Presidency in ensuring its full consideration. The Presidency has already expressed its intention to make COP30 a “Nature COP”, emphasizing synergies between the Climate and Biodiversity Conventions. In this context, Brazil’s increasing focus on ocean-related issues sends a powerful signal ensuring that nature at COP30 is also blue.
For more information on COP29 Key Outcomes, please visit the Ocean & Climate Platform and the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, whose reporting is included in the above summary.
Perspectives on the Ocean Outcomes of COP29
Reflections on the Outcomes of COP29 for the Ocean
On the cool windy shores of the Caspian Sea, 28 meters below sea level, COP29 felt a long way away from our Blue Pacific Ocean. Despite being very far from familiar shores, the Blue Pacific contingent, through the tireless efforts of our Leaders and Ministers, our skilled negotiators, and the vibrancy of our youth ambassadors, echoed our unified messages through the halls of Baku stadium in a consistent and emphatic way – the most critical one being keeping the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal alive.
It is also important to keep at the forefront of our collective global mind, the critical role the ocean plays in regulating climate and the challenges to the ocean that have a direct link to the climate. In other words, it is of the utmost importance to fully appreciate the dynamics of climate and ocean nexus if we are to truly achieve our global climate commitments.
As we continue to advocate loudly in the global arena, in the Blue Pacific Continent the ocean is our identity, our lifeline, and a way of life. For many, it serves as the sole source of life and vitality, fueling economic development and nation building aspirations across the Pacific. This majestic phenomenon that we revere and respect is also becoming a concern. Due to the impacts of climate change, it is now surging into our homes and communities as global temperatures rise, threatening our people and future survival.
COP29 was billed the “finance COP,” centered on delivering a new funding arrangement that was to be forward looking and without the challenges of the previous funding targets that the developed world and the biggest emitters failed to up-hold. This new deal, referred to as the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) was indeed to mobilize the critical finance required for developing countries, and especially Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to address their mitigation and adaptation needs. For Pacific SIDS, who are at the forefront of the climate crisis, the NCQG was a new promise that was desperately needed to respond to the climate crisis.
However, in negotiations in Baku, we witnessed deliberate tactics to put up barriers and to draw out negotiations as a strategy to take the wind out of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) negotiators. We felt the frustration that has become all too familiar at these COP negotiations and seemed like déjà vu all over again.
In effect, we saw little progress on the Global Stocktake, which called on all developed countries to contribute to “transitioning away from fossil fuels” and to submit climate pledges aligned with the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit. By the second Sunday, we saw the NCQG lift from $100 to $300billion annually, far below the expectations of the AOSIS and SIDS negotiators and with SIDS and LDCs not receiving the minimum carve-outs for their pressing needs.
So, COP29 did not quite meet the ambition we had hoped for, for our future. Looking forward, let us build on the small wins and take these challenges head on, one step at a time. Let us hope that access to finance will now be no longer a challenge for SIDS, and that finance will be more readily accessible disbursed to the most vulnerable countries – particularly Pacific Small Island Developing States.
Furthermore, while the ocean is not on the formal UNFCCC COP agenda, it remains an important cross-cutting theme and should feature more prominently in the formal negotiations. Some attempts were made in Baku to directly link the ocean in negotiation texts, but these made few waves. Notwithstanding, we are relatively pleased that the UNFCCC Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue process is helping to build on the awareness and importance of the ocean and climate nexus and to give it a profile in the UNFCCC COP process.
The Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue continued to improve, with steady co-chairs steering it in the right direction. I have no doubt that the Dialogue will continue to build momentum for the ocean-climate nexus and lead to concrete action in the UNFCCC processes, especially for SIDS.
We also saw momentum build in the informal grouping – Friends of the Ocean and Climate who delivered their first ever joint statement on the ocean-climate nexus.
We heard echoing in the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion, the Ocean Pavilion and beyond, that the ocean is critical to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement. We must invest more in sustainable ocean-based climate action and in observing our ocean.
Looking ahead to COP30 in Belém, where the Amazon River flows down into the Atlantic Ocean, I remain optimistic that the momentum on ocean-climate nexus will build, and the ocean will receive the attention it deserves. There will be no doubt of this momentum if COP31 makes its way to the Blue Pacific.
I also remain optimistic, as we must, that we can keep 1.5 alive for the sake of the ocean, for the sake of all people of the Pacific that depend on us to progress our efforts, and for the sake of humanity.
Key Outcomes from COP29 Around Carbon Trading (Article 6)
Article 6.2 and Article 6.4. Article 6.2 sets out very broad guidelines for eligible credits, and countries can use whatever methodologies they like, as long as the overall guidelines are met. Article 6.4, on the other hand, created a Supervisory Body, which will approve specific methodologies for trade.
COP29 marked a historic milestone for Article 6 as countries finalized (most of!) the remaining building blocks of carbon markets under the Paris Agreement. The conclusion of the Article 6 negotiations after nearly a decade sends a clear and decisive message: The rules—imperfect as some may be—are now established, providing much-needed certainty for countries, investors, and stakeholders to advance their cooperative approaches.
How does this relate to oceans and, more broadly, nature? There are no restrictions on the types of emissions reductions and removals[1] that can be eligible under Article 6.2 or Article 6.4, meaning that blue carbon activities could produce eligible carbon credits under either approach. However, the specifics and timeline will vary. That’s because while the agreement reached at COP29 provides a framework for carbon markets under the Paris Agreement, most decisions around implementation are left to national governments. Key decisions, such as what will be traded, how trades will be operationalized, and who will oversee the markets, need to be addressed domestically before trading starts to take off. That means some countries may approve the sale of blue carbon credits and others may not.
Article 6.2
Even with some uncertainty from ongoing negotiations, Article 6.2 has been operational since 2021, and momentum has only grown in the past years. Dozens of bilateral deals have been signed, with increasing participation from both buyer and seller countries. However, only one Article 6 trade has been completed so far,[2] highlighting the challenges that remain in implementing Article 6.2. Specifically, the biggest challenge lies in countries developing their domestic frameworks to participate in Article 6: this includes defining institutional arrangements to authorize Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs), aligning Article 6 strategies with broader national climate targets, and establishing processes to comply with reporting requirements. Even when these frameworks are in place, countries face a more complex issue: deciding what sectors to trade from, how many units to transfer, and at what price, all while ensuring these trades do not compromise their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
So far, no pilots with blue carbon activities have been signed, but that could change as long as there is a supplier country willing to sell these credits.
Article 6.4:
In October 2024, the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body adopted important guidance on methodologies and removals, critical areas still needed for the full operationalization of Article 6.4. This guidance shifted status from “recommendations” to “standards,” allowing the Supervisory Body to adopt them directly without needing further approval from countries [Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA)] at COP29. Day 1 of COP29 concluded with the endorsement of new standards for removals and methodologies. It was unusual to have a decision right at the beginning of COP, but it was a “win” needed by the COP Presidency to build momentum for the remaining two weeks of negotiations.
While this is a crucial milestone, the hard work for the Supervisory Body is just beginning: There are no approved methodologies and without them, no new projects can be registered under Article 6.4. The Supervisory Body will now start reviewing and approving methodologies, but this process can be lengthy. For example, under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), the first methodologies took years to be approved. The initial methodologies are expected to come from the CDM, which does not include any blue carbon methodologies.
When it comes to nature, a lot of what is at stake will be discussed in the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body in 2025. The Supervisory Body will be tasked with refining technical rules, including those related to post-crediting monitoring and downward adjustments of baselines. These decisions will directly shape the potential for nature-based methodologies to play a significant role in Article 6.4.
This means that while blue carbon methodologies may be approved in the future, nothing has been currently approved, and it will probably take at least a year before blue carbon would even be considered (given that the Supervisory Body will first start with CDM methodologies).
[1] With one exception: Negotiators have yet to determine whether “emissions avoidance” projects are eligible. There is no agreed definition of “emissions avoidance,” and the terms have never been conceptualized by the UNFCCC nor the IPCC. However, contrary to some interpretations, the decision to exclude emissions avoidance and conservation enhancement from Article 6 does not mean that REDD+ projects cannot be eligible under Article 6. On the contrary, nature-based solutions are already eligible under Article 6.2 and Article 6.4 since they fall under the IPCC definitions of emissions reduction or emissions removal.
[2] Between Switzerland and Thailand in January of 2024.
Global Ocean Forum at UNFCCC COP29
The COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion
From 6 November to 22 November 2024, 1,272 registrants representing 138 countries convened online at the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion. In its fourth iteration, the Virtual Ocean Pavilion is a free online platform dedicated to raising the visibility of the ocean and demonstrating why the ocean matters in climate negotiations and to all life on our planet. Co-organized by the Global Ocean Forum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the Virtual Ocean Pavilion was developed as a tool to increase transparency and equitable access to discussions during the United Nations Climate Conference while increasing knowledge, commitment, and action at the ocean-climate nexus.
Building on the momentum from past Pavilions, the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion promoted cross-sectoral cooperation on ocean-climate action in partnership with over 20 collaborating organizations. The Pavilion also highlighted opportunities provided by the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) to leverage the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus and accelerate the implementation of ocean-climate action.
Registered attendees entered the Pavilion platform through an interactive virtual lobby featuring ocean graphics and the city of Baku, Azerbaijan in the background. From this central area, participants could navigate the platform and access features including 9 live events and 4 roundtable discussions organized around the key messages of the Pavilion, an overview of COP29 Ocean Events, daily editions of the Treasure Trove with updates from COP29 and Pavilion partners, details regarding a youth-led interview series, and the Exhibit Hall featuring 11 exhibition booths from leading ocean and climate organizations.
A pre-final summary report of the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion is available here. The data shared in this pre-final report is drawn from the initial live access period of the Pavilion (6 to 22 November 2024). A final report will be shared in January 2025 after the conclusion of the on-demand access period (23 November to 22 December 2024) and will also include results from a post-event survey prepared by the PML with input from GOF. All participants and collaborators are encouraged to respond to the survey here.
In addition to the pre-final summary report, summaries of two roundtable discussions on Blue Finance and Cross-sectoral Governance are available on the ROCA website, which will host an archive of all COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion assets.
Integrated approaches to ocean governance in the context of climate change, the BBNJ Agreement, and SDG14
Jointly organized by the Global Ocean Forum (International Coastal and Ocean Organization), the Urban Coast Institute at Monmouth University and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the COP29 side event on Integrated approaches to ocean governance in the context of climate change, BBNJ Agreement and SDG14 was held on 20 November 2024. The event, which featured Filimon Manoni and Marilyn Simmons, Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner; Sefanaia Nawadra, SPREP; Nasar Hayat, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Azerbaijan; Luz Gil, The Nature Conservancy; and Miriam Balgos, Global Ocean Forum, showcased the integrated and collaborative approaches used to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean and its resources, mobilizing finance, harnessing various forms of cooperation at various levels, and leveraging ocean-climate-biodiversity interlinkages. A recording of the event will be made available by UNFCCC in 2025.
Why the ocean matters in climate negotiations
The Global Ocean Forum (International Coastal and Ocean Organization) participated in a joint exhibition booth led by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory along with the Partnership for the Observation of the Global Ocean Society (POGO) and University of Plymouth. The booth was open at the COP29 Exhibition Hall from 18-21 November 2024 and served to highlight the mitigation and adaptation potential of the ocean amidst growing impacts from climate change. The ocean is critical to all life on our planet and thus must be included in climate negotiations.
Cross-sectoral Project Updates
Project Implementation
The Cross-sectoral Project is now in its second year of implementation. The Project is finalizing 18 national ABNJ profiles and two regional ABNJ profiles as part of a capacity needs assessment to evaluate existing capacity for cross-sectoral ABNJ management and governance in the Southeast Pacific and the Pacific Islands region. The information gathered through this baseline analysis can also support country efforts for ratification and implementation of the BBNJ Agreement. As part of the capacity needs assessment, the project will also complete a job analysis, population analysis, and validation workshop for each pilot region.
A user needs survey was conducted in July 2024 to solicit input for the development of an ABNJ governance platform. The analysis of the survey results has been utilized in ongoing platform development. This platform will provide a centralized information hub for actors (governments, international organizations, sectoral bodies, etc.) to access the best available information on ocean governance to support improved cross-sectoral cooperation and coordination in ABNJ.
Ms. Eugenia Merayo Garcia of Natural Capital Solutions, Gender Specialist of the Project, has completed a desk-based gender analysis of sectors involved in ABNJ that is now under review by Project partners. Preliminary findings show that gender inequality is still prevalent in ocean sectors, and women’s work and contributions continue to be invisible and/or undervalued. From small-scale fishers to ocean researchers, the study indicates that women face several challenges, such as the double burden of domestic and professional responsibilities, underrepresentation in leadership and decision making, and violence and discrimination. The final report will be made available in January 2025 and will inform the ongoing gender activities under the Project.
A self-paced e-learning course on ABNJ is in development among project partners. This course will provide an overview of ABNJ issues and management with a focus on cross-sectoral governance. The course is expected to be launched in June 2025 at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France.
Special Report: Informal Briefing by the Co-Chairs of the BBNJ Agreement Preparatory Commission
The first and second sessions of the Preparatory Commission for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement to be held in April and August 2025 at the UN Headquarters will address a series of matters that need to be decided by the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Agreement and is open to other issues that might be seen as urgent to decide by the delegations. The clusters of topics that were decided during the organizational meeting of the Commission in June 2024 are: 1) Governance issues; 2) Issues pertaining to the operation of the Clearing-House Mechanism; and 3) Financial rules, and financial resources and mechanism.
On 11 December 2024, the Co-Chairs of the BBNJ Preparatory Commission, Mrs. Janine Coye Felson from the Belize UN Permanent Mission and Mr. Adam McCarthy from the Australia UN Permanent Mission conducted a virtual briefing to delegations and observers, about the work they have been coordinating to structure the first meeting of the Preparatory Commission of the BBNJ Agreement. To that end, a provisional agenda and a provisional program of work have been shared with stakeholders and full conference services, including translation and documentation, are confirmed for the meeting.
Consistent with the mandate of the Preparatory Commission and what was agreed during the organizational meeting, the Co-Chairs made special references to the relevance of ensuring transparency, inclusivity and meaningful participation during the PrepCom sessions. To favor those criteria, some general modalities of work were set, like the decision of not having more than two parallel meetings. The issues those meetings will be dedicated to are still under revision.
The Co-Chairs also mentioned the importance of consultation with the PrepCom Bureau and the consideration of the ideas and concerns presented by other delegations and stakeholders in October, including the limitations and challenges of small delegations. The goodwill and recognition of the significance of the PrepCom work by the relevant actors were highlighted.
On other modalities of work, the Co-Chairs noted the utility of forming informal working groups and developing intersessional work in a timely mannerthe details of which are still to be determined. On how to move from one agenda item to the other, the Co-Chairs mentioned the possibility of using the order established by the Agreement itself.
The UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, acting as interim Secretariat for the Treaty, is assisting the Co-Chairs with the documentation process. In early March 2025, the documents for the PrepCom are expected to be ready in all UN official languages, with the ambition to have them finalized in English by February 2025.
To conclude, the overall organization of work is still in development, with the intention of avoiding parallel meetings as much as possible, to secure transparency and inclusivity, with the expectation to have countries’ participation that combines UN Permanent Missions representatives and experts from capitals.
Ocean Events & Opportunities
2024 East Asian Seas Congress
The 2024 East Asian Seas Congress organized by the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) brought together 855 participants from 20 countries. From 171 speakers leading 35 sessions, the creativity and enthusiasm of 50 exhibitors and the support of nine event sponsors, fueled collaboration, learning and the essence of partnerships.
Key themes explored through plenary sessions included: 1) Ocean Innovations and Financing; 2) Ocean Science, Policy, and Practice; and 3) Global Challenges, Local Solutions. Parallel sessions took a closer look into selected topics like climate action, biodiversity and sustainable development, while exhibits showcased cutting-edge solutions and technologies for ocean sustainability.
With representation from 88 IGOs and NGOs, 42 local host institutions, 47 academic institutions, 22 local governments, 6 donor agencies and foundations, 15 business organizations, and over 200 youth participating as speakers, delegates, and dedicated volunteers, the Congress truly reflected a “whole of society” approach.
The Preview Event of the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion also served as a virtual side event at the Congress, with over 100 attendees. An event recording is available here.
Ocean Acidification Week 2024
Ocean Acidification Week 2024 was held from 18-22 November. This virtual multi-day forum highlighted the ocean acidification knowledge needed to restore humanity’s relationship with the ocean. Ocean Acidification Week first debuted in 2020 and built on the successful Ocean in a High CO2 World Symposium held in 2022. The Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) supports this virtual symposium that brings together researchers across the world with sessions, plenary speakers, and engaging talks about ocean acidification science and action taking. Ocean Acidification Week 2024 sessions included regional reports from Latin America, Africa, Pacific Islands, Mediterranean, Caribbean, South Asia, the Arctic and North America.
CommOcean 2024
The International Marine Science Communication Conference, CommOCEAN 2024, was hosted at the Málaga Oceanographic Centre from 25-27 November 2024. This conference provided an opportunity to enhance communication skills in the ocean through immersion in a collaborative environment filled with expert-led workshops, networking sessions, and insightful discussions on the latest trends in ocean research communication. Find more information about the conference here.
Applications open for GOOD-OARS Summer School 2025
The GOOD-OARS Summer school will be organized in Penang Malaysia from 4-11 November 2025. The school will be hosted by the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies of Universiti Sains Malaysia (CEMACS) and is established under the Global Ocean Oxygen Decade (GOOD) and Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) programmes of the UN Ocean Decade. It aims to train the next generation of ocean oxygen and acidification scientists and researchers on the foundations of both fields, with instruction and lectures from world experts in a friendly setting for discussion.
More information is available here, and applications are welcome for up to 40 PhD and graduate students, ECRs, and highly motivated MSc students until 10 January 2025. Any queries can be directed to go2ne-secretariat@unesco.org and to ssgo2025@gmail.com.
Additional Upcoming Ocean Events in 2025
In addition to those events detailed above, there will be several major ocean events to look forward to in 2025, including the following:
- BBNJ Symposium, 18-19 February 2025, Singapore
- Two sessions of the Preparatory Commission for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement, 14-21 April 2025 and 18-29 August 2025, New York, United States
- Our Ocean, Our Action, 27-29 April 2025, Busan, South Korea
- 24th Annual Large Marine Ecosystems Consultant Meeting (LME24), 14-16 May 2025, Athens, Greece
- One Ocean Science Congress, 4-6 June 2025, Nice, France
- UN Ocean Conference, 9-13 June 2025, Nice, France
- OCEANS 2025, 16-19 June 2025, Brest, France
- UNFCCC COP30, 10-21 November 2025, Belém, Brazil
Support the Global Ocean Forum
As 2024 comes to a close, the Global Ocean Forum is reflecting with gratitude on a productive year. We greatly appreciate the steadfast support of our long-time collaborators and look forward to welcoming new stakeholders and partners to our ever-expanding network in the coming year. In 2025, we will continue our persistent efforts to promote actions that encourage a healthy and resilient ocean for both people and planet.
Please consider donating to our 2023-2024 campaign of the Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain Memorial Fund to enable the Global Ocean Forum to support Fellows, the Virtual Ocean Pavilion at the UNFCCC COPs and the biennial report on Assessing Progress on Ocean and Climate Action (ROCA Report) for years to come. We also welcome donations to our general program operations that will directly support the implementation of our Strategic Plan for 2024-2030 with program development across four focal areas: Ocean & Climate, ABNJ, Blue Economy, and Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management.
Prepared by Catie Mitchell and Miriam Balgos