The Virtual Ocean Pavilion is an online platform 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. It aims to democratize the ocean at COPs and promote unity and inclusivity, whilst increasing knowledge, commitment, and action for the ocean-climate nexus at key events during the meetings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP). It is also a key tool in increasing transparency and equitable access to climate discussions and information. The first Virtual Ocean Pavilion was held during the UNFCCC COP26 (held in Glasgow, 31 October – 12 November 2021) and continued at COP27 (held in Sharm El Sheik, 6 – 18 November 2022), at COP28 (held in Dubai, 30 November – 12 December 2023), and at COP29 (held in Baku, Azerbaijan, 11-22 November 2024).
Why a Virtual Ocean Pavilion?
A dedicated Ocean Pavilion raises the visibility of the ocean and showcases why the ocean matters in climate negotiations and to all life on our planet. As the ocean concerns everyone, the Virtual Ocean Pavilion has the capability of engaging and reaching those that cannot attend the UNFCCC COP in-person and presents a long-lasting resource for all – leaving no one behind. A virtual presence at all COPs will ensure that the Pavilion will be:
- Totally within the co-organizers’ control in terms of timing, allowing flexibility to respond to changes in the COP schedule
- Adaptable and scalable
- Long-lasting and accessible – being hosted online means it will be available long-after the VOP has ended
The Virtual Ocean Pavilion at COP29
The Global Ocean Forum is committed to organizing the VOP as a user-friendly, informational and accessible platform open to all. To that end, aspects of the VOP at COP29 included:
- Eleven exhibits showcasing leading ocean-climate initiatives from around the world
- Six live days, including the COP29 VOP preview event at the 2024 East Asian Seas Congress (6 November), COP29 opening day (11 November), World Leaders Climate Action Summit thematic day (12 November), Human Development, Children and Youth, Health, and Education thematic day (18 November), Food, Agriculture and Water thematic day (19 November), and the Indigenous Peoples, Gender Equality, Nature and Biodiversity, and Oceans and Coastal Zones thematic day (21 November)
- Nine live events
- Four roundtable discussions organized to promote the key messages of the COP29 VOP and address other ocean-climate-biodiversity themes
- Youth-led interviews with ocean and climate experts to spotlight topics and initiatives under discussion at COP29
- Easy-to-access overview of all ocean-related events at COP29
- Daily updates on the events in and around COP29 through the Treasure Trove
The main objectives for the VOP at COP29 included the following:
- Highlight and promote the COP29 priorities while increasing the visibility of the ocean and showcasing why the ocean matters in climate negotiations and to all life on our planet
- Address the opportunity presented by the new Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction for leveraging the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus in accelerating the implementation of ocean-climate action.
- Focus on the UNOC 2025 ocean action panel themes which aim at accelerated and urgent implementation of Goal 14 by leveraging the interlinkages between Goal 14 and other Goals.
- Enable engagement with and visibility of ocean-related issues to augment the in-person COP experience through interactive features.
The Virtual Ocean Pavilion at COP28
The Global Ocean Forum is committed to organizing the VOP to be user-friendly, informational and accessible, with plans to continuously streamline user experience and add new and exciting features. To that end, aspects of the VOP at COP28 included:
- Twelve exhibits showcasing new ocean-climate initiatives
- Four live days including the COP28 opening day (November 30), Youth, Children, Education and Skills thematic day (December 8), Nature, Land Use and Oceans thematic day (December 9), and the COP28 closing day (December 12)
- Eight live events
- On location reporting of what’s happening at COP28, including interviews with negotiators to be led by a youth group
- Easy-to-access overview of all ocean-related events at COP28
- Gamification of the VOP, with features such as Treasure Trove trivia and attendance certifications to be earned via short, fun quizzes based on information from VOP exhibits, live events and the COP more broadly
The main objective for the VOP at COP28 was to make the platform a venue for greater interaction among various stakeholders about the ocean-climate nexus and promoting the ocean agenda at the UNFCCC, especially for those who are unable to physically attend the COP28. With over 2,000 registrations, the COP28 VOP team achieved this objective and will continue to strive for higher engagement, increased accessibility and heightened visibility of ocean-climate topics at future iterations of the VOP.
Get Involved!
To help continue to realize the Virtual Ocean Pavilion, the co-organizers are welcoming sponsors as well as additional partners. Those involved will benefit from:
- Directly contributing to the ocean presence at future UNFCCC COP and vice versa; the Virtual Ocean Pavilion will also be highlighted by those physically at the COP
- Opportunity to help co-design the pavilion and suggest further content
- Access to social media resources that can be used by partners and sponsors to disseminate the key messages of the VOP
- Sponsors will have the additional options of:
1) A ‘space in the Virtual Ocean Pavilion’ with their logo prominently displayed in the virtual pavilion – in both the main event space and other virtual pavilion features
2) A range of social media assets to profile sponsor’s support of the Virtual Ocean Pavilion
3) Invitation to attend a private view of the virtual space before it goes live to the public
4) Acknowledgement in a range of places where the Virtual Ocean Pavilion is promoted
All contributions and donations to support the organization of the VOP are welcome. For more information on Virtual Ocean Pavilions, please see here.
Contacts: Miriam Balgos, Global Ocean Forum & Thecla Keizer, Plymouth Marine Laboratory