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The document evaluates the 2013 Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), noting that while the share of stocks exploited at or below Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) rose from 50% in 2014 to 63% in 2022, environmental and socio-economic progress remains uneven. It highlights a disparity in the fishing fleet where small-scale coastal fisheries saw net profits grow by 131.9% between 2013 and 2023, while large-scale and distant water fisheries saw profits fall by 244.5% and 90.6% respectively, despite receiving significantly higher operating subsidies. The authors argue that current failures are due to implementation gaps rather than framework flaws, calling for the prohibition of capacity-enhancing subsidies, the protection of 30% of EU seas via a proposed European Ocean Act, and a shift toward low-impact, decarbonised fishing gear.

The report finds that record-breaking sea surface temperatures in July 2026 across European coasts were driven by human-induced climate change, with some regions experiencing warming that substantially exceeds global averages. These extreme temperatures have triggered marine heatwaves, species range shifts, and increased risks to human health and coastal infrastructure. The analysis indicates that such events would have been virtually impossible in a pre-industrial climate and will continue to intensify as global warming progresses.

The briefing advocates for the adoption of Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs) as a central mechanism within the EU Ocean Act to replace siloed marine governance with an integrated framework. It suggests that SOPs can align fisheries, offshore energy, and conservation efforts across EU member states, citing the success of 29 countries globally and the potential for better sea-basin coordination in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.

A study by World Weather Attribution on the impact of nine named storms in the western Mediterranean, finding that while evidence is uncertain, there is a trend toward increased intensity of extreme heavy rainfall events, particularly in northern regions, exacerbated by urban development in floodplains.

A cover letter co-signed by 30 organisations calling on the EU and UK to set catch limits below scientific single-stock advice to protect fish populations and coastal communities from climate change and overfishing.

The statement argues that current scientific advice for fishing limits is insufficient for ecosystem recovery and that the EU has failed its legal obligations to end overfishing and achieve Good Environmental Status. It calls for catch limits to be set significantly below maximum scientific advice, particularly for forage fish and mixed fisheries, to safeguard marine biodiversity and resilience against climate change.

The document analyzes various treaty flexibility mechanisms—such as reservations, differentiated timelines, and optional annexes—to recommend an approach for the future plastics treaty that balances broad adoption with environmental effectiveness. It argues against using optional annexes for chemicals of concern, suggesting instead a system of general and specific exemptions similar to those in the Minamata and Stockholm Conventions.

The document argues that current fishing opportunities are often set above scientific advice, perpetuating overfishing in the Baltic, Northeast Atlantic, and Mediterranean. It recommends setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs) well below the 'headline' scientific advice from ICES and STECF to account for ecosystem dynamics and climate change. The authors highlight shortcomings in current scientific advice, noting it lacks concrete recovery timeframes and ecological objectives. Key proposals include implementing a quantitative precautionary approach to TAC-setting, increasing transparency in negotiations, and fully enforcing the Landing Obligation.

The document argues that both the EU and UK consistently set Total Allowable Catches (TACs) above scientific advice, failing to meet legal deadlines for sustainable fishing. It highlights a systemic failure to prioritise the recovery of depleted stocks, often citing 'choke' risks in mixed fisheries as a justification. The briefing calls for a shift toward ecosystem-based management and a quota allocation system that rewards low-impact fishing practices over historical catch data.

The document advocates for a shift from single-stock fisheries management to an ecosystem-based approach in the EU and UK. It argues that current scientific advice from ICES and STECF often fails to account for the needs of predators and the impacts of climate change. The authors recommend setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs) below headline scientific advice to rebuild fish populations well above sustainable levels (BMSY) and to safeguard the food web, particularly for forage fish like sandeel, sprat, and herring.

ClientEarth advocates for a shift from 'paper commitments' to legal action to address the ocean crisis. The briefing prioritises the enforcement of existing frameworks, such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), to protect marine biodiversity and combat climate change. It specifically calls for the elimination of harmful fisheries subsidies, the banning of bottom trawling in marine protected areas (MPAs), and the ratification of the BBNJ Agreement to protect the high seas. The document also highlights the need for a 'Protection Principle' that makes ocean conservation the default norm and outlines specific legal priorities for the EU, Mediterranean, China, and the UK.

ClientEarth proposes a 'Simple Plan' centered on the rigorous application of existing EU laws to restore marine biodiversity and support a just transition for small-scale fishers. The document argues that revising the CFP Regulation is unnecessary and would cause delays, whereas full enforcement of current tools—such as Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and the Landing Obligation (LO)—could provide immediate environmental and economic benefits. Key recommendations include the creation of an EU Ocean Fund, increasing the use of infringement proceedings against Member States, and phasing out bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030.

The report analyzes marine geoengineering, dividing it into marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) and marine solar radiation modification (SRM). It argues that these speculative technologies pose irreversible risks to ocean ecosystems and human rights, while facing significant monitoring and verification challenges. The authors contend that proposed deployment zones span every ocean basin, making the impacts inherently transboundary and potentially violating international law, including the CBD moratorium and UNCLOS.

The policy brief proposes that Cyprus leverage its unique island profile and Mediterranean position during its 2026 EU Council Presidency to advance EU-level action on water scarcity, climate adaptation, energy security, and transport decarbonisation. Key recommendations include establishing a Mediterranean Resilience Summit, a Water & Climate Security Forum, and an EU-SIDS Compact 2030, while steering legislative processes such as the Energy Security Framework and ETS revisions to support affordability and resilience.

The document describes a 'hazard synthesis' method developed by World Weather Attribution to combine different lines of evidence into a single number representing the influence of climate change on an extreme event's intensity and likelihood. It notes that while this approach is more realistic than using models or observations in isolation, it faces limitations when events would have been impossible in a cooler world or when climate models contradict basic physics, such as the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship. The author emphasizes that human expertise and experience are necessary to evaluate these results, as automated or AI-driven analysis cannot yet account for model deficiencies or data discrepancies.

The document argues that the EU has failed its legal deadline to end overfishing by 2020 and calls for 2025 Total Allowable Catches (TACs) to be set well below scientific advice to build ecosystem resilience against climate change. It specifically recommends stricter management for the Western Mediterranean, depleted stocks with zero-catch advice, and deep-sea species, while urging the full implementation of the Landing Obligation through remote electronic monitoring.

A group of NGOs is calling on the EU and UK to adopt precautionary, ecosystem-based fishing limits for 2025. They argue that current practices often exceed scientific advice, undermining biodiversity and climate resilience. The letter demands catch limits well below single-stock advice, full implementation of the western Mediterranean multiannual plan, and increased transparency in negotiations.

The document is a letter to the Hungarian Minister of Agriculture calling for a precautionary, ecosystem-based approach to setting 2025 fishing limits. The NGOs argue that the EU has failed its legal obligation to end overfishing by 2020 and that current scientific advice does not fully account for ecosystem integrity. They demand catch limits below ICES and STECF advice, full implementation of the western Mediterranean multiannual plan, the elimination of bycatch and discards, and increased transparency in decision-making to ensure long-term ocean health and climate mitigation capacity.

The report analyzes eight nature-based solutions (NbS) case studies across the EU and China, focusing on land, water, urban, and financing ecosystems. It evaluates these projects against the UNEA-5 definition and IUCN Global Standard, highlighting successes in large-scale landscape restoration and the role of research programs like Horizon 2020. Key findings emphasize that while NbS are increasingly mainstreamed, challenges remain in inclusive governance and private sector financing. The document recommends enhanced bilateral lesson-sharing, the development of a global costs-benefits database, and the use of standardized assessment tools to prevent greenwashing.

ClientEarth argues that the EMFAF and its predecessor (EMFF) have failed to meet their objectives, with significant funding still supporting capacity-enhancing and biodiversity-harming subsidies. The organization calls for a categorical prohibition of harmful subsidies by 2027, increased funding for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to meet EU nature restoration targets, and a shift in financial priority toward small-scale and low-impact fishers (SSF), who currently receive a disproportionately small share of funding compared to industrial fleets.