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This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the funding landscape of the global ocean economy, noting that while public investment has increased over the last decade, it remains significantly below the estimated USD 550 billion needed annually by 2030. The report highlights a heavy reliance on official development assistance (ODA), which is currently facing cuts from major donors, and emphasizes the economic and climate benefits of closing the sustainable ocean funding gap.

The High Seas Treaty, formally the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ agreement), enters into force on January 17, 2026. The treaty establishes a legal framework to protect biodiversity and manage natural resources in the 'high seas'—ocean areas outside any single country's jurisdiction, which cover approximately half of the planet's surface.

This guide, published by Natural Justice in March 2025, provides small-scale fishing communities in South Africa with a framework for seeking "ocean justice." It details the legal rights of citizens to a healthy environment, the regulatory processes for environmental impact assessments (EIAs), and the risks associated with offshore oil, gas, and mining activities. The document emphasizes the importance of community participation in law-making and the use of legal tools like the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to challenge industrial developments that threaten biodiversity, traditional livelihoods, and cultural heritage.

A World Resources Institute working paper assessing 10 years of the Our Ocean Conference, finding that of 2,618 commitments totaling $160 billion in pledges, 43% are completed and $133.4 billion has been mobilized, with 54% of finance targeting ocean-climate action.

This case study describes the 2017 debt for climate (DFC) swap in the Seychelles, the first of its kind focused on ocean protection, and outlines the general structural requirements and criteria for implementing similar DFC instruments in other middle-income countries.

This 2021 report by WWF South Africa evaluates the management effectiveness of the South African marine protected area (MPA) network using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT-SA 3). Based on a 2018 assessment of 27 sites, the report identifies systemic deficiencies in funding, staffing, and law enforcement, while proposing a phased approach to move MPAs from priority or basic management levels to optimal effectiveness.

This policy brief examines the disruption of 2020's planned 'Super Year for the Ocean' due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that while key negotiations on biodiversity, fisheries subsidies, and climate change were postponed, the crisis provides an opportunity to shift toward a 'Green Stimulus Framework' and a systemic change in how the global community values and governs ocean resources.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a formal request (CER-2018-DMR-0002) to the Department of Mineral Resources on 8 October 2018, seeking a wide range of records concerning the Operation Phakisa marine protected area network and offshore oil and gas activities.

This policy briefing argues for the expansion and improved management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in South Africa to enhance socio-ecological resilience. It highlights the gap between South Africa's current MPA coverage and global conservation targets, while discussing the benefits of MPAs for fisheries, climate adaptation, and biodiversity, alongside the challenges of sectoral conflict and customary rights.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the governance of marine and coastal resources in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. It advocates for the adoption of integrated spatial planning, ecosystem-based management, and inclusive, community-led conservation models to support a sustainable 'Blue Economy'. The author emphasizes that marine conservation must be integrated with socio-economic development agendas to ensure the resilience of biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal populations.

This policy brief examines the prevalence and impact of illegal blast fishing in Tanzania, highlighting its role in destroying coral reef ecosystems and threatening the national economy. It argues for a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral governance approach to eliminate the practice through stricter law enforcement, community-led management, and the provision of alternative livelihoods.

This research paper examines the intersection of Ghana's emerging offshore oil and gas sector and its artisanal fisheries. It argues that while the oil sector has created specific tensions—particularly regarding exclusion zones and maritime safety—the primary threats to the sustainability of Ghana's fisheries are fleet overcapacity, illegal fishing practices, and environmental stressors. The author advocates for a shift from merely minimizing oil-sector impacts toward a constructive 'socio-ecological compact' and integrated maritime governance to support the long-term viability of artisanal fishing.

This research paper uses a latent class mixed logit model to analyze the trade-offs between establishing wind farms and marine protected areas in Estonia, finding that 'environmentally-friendly' wind farms provide welfare benefits comparable to those of marine protected areas.

This WRI fact sheet provides a regional analysis of coral reefs in the Atlantic, detailing their distribution, the socioeconomic dependence of coastal populations, the prevalence of local and climate-related threats, and the effectiveness of existing Marine Protected Areas.

This WRI fact sheet provides a regional analysis of coral reefs in Australia, detailing their scale, the low impact of local human threats compared to the severe projected impacts of climate change, and the extent of marine protected areas.

This fact sheet summarizes the 'Reefs at Risk Revisited' report, a global map-based analysis of threats to coral reefs led by the World Resources Institute. It details the prevalence of local and global pressures, the socioeconomic vulnerability of coastal communities, and the effectiveness of current marine protected areas.

This WRI fact sheet provides a regional overview of the 'Reefs at Risk Revisited' analysis for the Middle East, detailing the extent of coral reefs, the human populations dependent on them, the prevalence of local and climate-driven threats, and the current state of conservation efforts.

This WRI fact sheet summarizes the 'Reefs at Risk Revisited' analysis for the Pacific region, detailing the extent of coral reefs, the human populations dependent on them, current local threats, and projected impacts of climate change through 2050.

This fact sheet from the Climate Bonds Initiative details the issuance of the world's first blue sovereign bond by the Republic of Seychelles, designed to fund sustainable fisheries and marine projects.

This case study examines the recovery of coral reefs in Costa Rica's Caño Island Biological Reserve and Cocos Island National Park following severe bleaching events caused by El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) warming and phytoplankton blooms.