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The BBNJ Agreement, or High Seas Treaty, aims to regulate 64% of the ocean's surface through four pillars: marine genetic resources, area-based management, environmental impact assessments, and capacity building. While the African Group of Negotiators helped shape the treaty, ratification among African states remains low, with only seven of 55 countries having completed the process. Non-ratifying states risk exclusion from the Conference of the Parties (COP) decision-making and benefit-sharing arrangements for marine genetic resources. The document highlights the potential for designating marine protected areas near Africa, such as the Walvis Ridge and Saya de Malha Bank, and suggests that African states coordinate ministries and adopt cost-effective surveillance technologies, like uncrewed vessels, to manage these areas.

The briefing outlines key objectives for the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, emphasizing the need to scale up funding for SDG 14, integrate ocean-based solutions into national climate plans (NDCs), accelerate the ratification of the High Seas Treaty, and implement 100% sustainable ocean management through Sustainable Ocean Plans.

Belize's NDC 3.0 sets a target to avoid cumulative greenhouse gas emissions of 6,234 kTonCO2e by 2035 compared to a business-as-usual scenario. The plan focuses on scaling renewable energy, enhancing carbon sequestration in the AFOLU sector, and improving climate resilience across coastal, health, and infrastructure sectors. Implementation is heavily dependent on international climate finance, with an estimated total cost of 1.55 billion USD and a funding gap of 85%.

The report argues that the global ocean economy must transition from business-as-usual to a nature-positive model to avoid an estimated US$8.4 trillion in economic value loss by 2036. It introduces the AR3T (Avoid, Reduce, Restore & Regenerate, Transform) action framework to help companies in four key sectors—offshore wind, coastal and marine tourism, shipping, and seafood—halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The document emphasizes that nature positive is a collective societal goal, requiring absolute gains in nature rather than relative net gains or offsets. It provides specific technical recommendations for each sector, such as using nature-inclusive design in offshore wind, implementing sustainable siting in tourism, reducing vessel noise in shipping, and eliminating destructive fishing practices in the seafood sector. The report also highlights the necessity of integrating social equity and Indigenous knowledge into conservation efforts, asserting that a nature-positive future must also be 'people positive'.

The 2024 assessment of 40 global banks reveals a slight increase in the average seafood policy score to 25%, up from 21% in 2023. While 48% of banks showed year-on-year improvements, the majority of policies remain insufficient to address key business resilience risks. European banks continue to lead in policy depth, while Asian banks are showing strong progress in sustainable finance frameworks. Despite 83% of banks recognizing general climate and nature risks, only 33% have seafood-specific policies. The report highlights a growing but still small market for 'blue' financial products, with 38% of assessed banks now disclosing blue-labeled products or eligibility criteria.

The document examines the development of sustainable ocean economies (SOE) in six African SIDS, identifying that while legal frameworks are important, they are not the primary determinant for investors. Instead, funding decisions are driven by political will, a track record of marine preservation, and the presence of trusted in-country partners. The briefing highlights the role of innovative financing, such as blue bonds and debt-for-nature swaps, and emphasizes that regulatory reforms should focus on transparency, stakeholder engagement, and co-management to achieve sustainable development goals.

Signatories of the Blue Manifesto argue that the draft European Ocean Pact lacks the ambition and enforceability needed to address ocean degradation. They call for binding 2030 targets to protect 30% of EU seas, the phase-out of destructive fishing and offshore oil and gas drilling, the creation of a European Ocean Fund, and the inclusion of civil society in governance structures.

The IAI Committee on Oceans, Islands and Coastal Regions declares its commitment to establishing a transdisciplinary research and training program aligned with the UN Decade of Ocean Science. The statement emphasizes the 'One Blue Health' approach, the importance of blue carbon ecosystems for 30x30 goals, and the need for innovative financing mechanisms like blue bonds to support Latin America, the Caribbean, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It advocates for the integration of indigenous and local knowledge and the use of transdisciplinary science to inform ocean governance and climate adaptation.

The IAI Steering Committee on Oceans, Islands, and Coastal Zones advocates for a transdisciplinary approach to ocean science in the Americas, emphasizing the 'Blue One Health' framework and the integration of Indigenous and local knowledge. The statement prioritizes the development of a regional research program under the UN Decade of Ocean Science, the management of the Caribbean sargassum crisis, and the expansion of innovative financing mechanisms like blue bonds for Latin America, the Caribbean, and Small Island Developing States.

The document examines the transition to a sustainable ocean economy (SOE) in six African SIDS, identifying that while legal frameworks are important, they are not the primary driver of investment. Instead, investors prioritize political will, a track record of marine preservation, and trusted in-country partners. The briefing highlights the role of innovative finance, such as blue bonds and debt-for-nature swaps, and recommends that governments strengthen institutional coordination and regulatory transparency to unlock these flows.

The European Ocean Pact is presented as a critical opportunity to address the over-exploitation of Europe's marine areas, where over 90% is impacted by human activity. ClientEarth argues that the Pact must prioritize the achievement of healthy, clean, and resilient marine ecosystems over economic activities. The document outlines three strategic priorities: enhancing compliance with existing regulations like the Common Fisheries Policy, establishing legally binding targets to ensure policy coherence, and facilitating a just transition for coastal communities via an EU Ocean Fund.

The author argues that the OACPS should move beyond traditional tariff liberalization to a 'muscular' trade and sustainability agenda at the WTO. This proposed plan includes negotiating a plurilateral agreement on green industrialization, creating a dedicated technical facility for sustainable development, and establishing a coherence platform to align trade with global sustainability initiatives like the UNFCCC and UN SDGs. To support this, the document suggests replicating EU models of strategic partnerships on critical raw materials and Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships (CTIPs), which combine private investment with public guarantees and technology transfer. The author emphasizes that such an integrated approach is essential for OACPS members—particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and commodity-dependent nations—to mitigate climate vulnerability and transition toward green industrialization.

ClientEarth urges the European Commission to use the European Oceans Pact to move beyond 'paper parks' and policy silos. The organization calls for a systemic approach to enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy and Habitats Directive, the creation of an EU Ocean Fund to replace the EMFAF, and the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies in the maritime sector. It advocates for legally binding targets to protect 30% of EU seas by 2030 and a ban on destructive activities like bottom trawling in all Marine Protected Areas.

The document highlights the critical role of Indigenous Peoples in Southeast Asia as environmental stewards, noting that their lands overlap with 40% of global protected areas and that deforestation rates on their lands in Southeast Asia are half those on other lands. It criticizes the ASEAN declaration on environmental rights for omitting Indigenous Peoples, arguing that this lack of recognition leads to 'development aggression,' criminalization of land defenders, and the erosion of traditional knowledge. The brief specifically notes the vulnerability of Indigenous women and the overlooked contributions of marine-based 'Sea Nomads.' It concludes by recommending that ASEAN and its Member States formally adopt the terminology and protections of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) to improve biodiversity and climate outcomes.

The document argues that Africa's fisheries and aquaculture sectors are underperforming despite vast resources, contributing only 6% of global fish production and resulting in a US$6 billion annual import reliance. It highlights systemic challenges including post-harvest losses of up to 30%, gender disparities in resource access, and environmental degradation such as oil pollution in Nigeria's Niger Delta. The briefing proposes a combination of agroecological practices, climate-smart technologies (such as biofloc and RAS), and regional trade integration via the AfCFTA to enhance food security and economic growth. It specifically emphasizes the need for cold-chain infrastructure, the integration of indigenous knowledge, and the empowerment of women and youth to ensure an equitable transition.

The briefing identifies opportunities for DFIs and MDBs to align gender-lens investing (GLI) with nature finance, specifically by leveraging frameworks like the 2X Criteria and the World Bank Nature Finance Tracking Methodology. It proposes four primary pathways: mainstreaming dual lenses across the investment lifecycle, pioneering innovative financial instruments such as impact-linked structures, expanding integrated technical assistance for investees, and utilizing communities of practice to share knowledge. The document highlights specific examples of such integration, including blue loans in Ecuador and climate resilience debt swaps in Barbados.

The report examines the severe biodiversity loss in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting phenomena like 'empty forest syndrome' and the 'reverse terraforming' caused by gold mining in the Amazon. It emphasizes the critical link between biodiversity and human well-being, citing the water crises in the Northern Andes due to páramo degradation and the role of soil organic matter in climate mitigation. The document advocates for 'inclusive conservation' that integrates Indigenous and local knowledge, arguing that Indigenous lands are essential for climate mitigation. It also analyzes the impact of global trade and 'telecoupling'—where demand for energy transition minerals like lithium in the Global North drives environmental degradation in the Andes—and calls for a sustainable blue economy and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The policy brief outlines the critical role of maritime transport in Africa's blue economy and the threats posed by climate change, including sea level rise and new global emissions regulations. It advocates for a new continental maritime governance framework to coordinate decarbonisation and resilience efforts. Key recommendations include transforming ports into green logistics hubs, implementing climate risk assessments in infrastructure design, and securing sustainable financing for fleet and port modernisation.

The policy brief argues that Africa's maritime security efforts are hindered by institutional fragmentation, chronic underfunding, and a gap between high-level policy and operational capacity. It highlights that while regional bodies like SADC and ECOWAS have made progress, the African Union (AU) lacks a permanent coordinating body and a tested naval component for the African Standby Force. To address this, the authors recommend establishing an African Maritime Security Expert Group, convening a permanent Committee of the Heads of African Navies and Coastguards (CHANS), and conducting the AMANI Africa III maritime exercise to validate naval command-and-control.

The document outlines how commercial banks, institutional investors, and insurers can use the NPOP framework to shift financial flows toward nature-positive outcomes in the blue economy. It details four primary entry points for financial institutions: exclusions policies, sector policies and due diligence, corporate engagement, and sustainable finance products. The briefing provides real-world case studies from institutions such as ING, BNP Paribas, and Standard Chartered to illustrate the application of the AR3T mitigation hierarchy—Avoid, Reduce, Restore & Regenerate, and Transform—across sectors including shipping, seafood, offshore wind, and coastal tourism.