The year 2024 marked a pivotal moment for ocean conservation, as nations and stakeholders from the global to local level accelerated efforts to tackle the interconnected challenges facing coastal communities worldwide. New initiatives, including blue carbon ventures, innovative policy frameworks, and strategic climate investments, are advancing sustainable solutions with the livelihoods of those who depend on them.
Below, we highlight nine major ocean conservation achievements from 2024, showcasing the growing momentum for ocean conservation.
1. 27 Pacific countries unite to protect one billion hectares of ocean
At the 28th UN Climate Conference in Dubai on December 3, 2023, Tonga and Palau announced “Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity (UBPP),” a bold initiative among 16 Pacific nations to conserve and sustainably manage 100% of the Blue Pacific Continent – more than one billion hectares of ocean. Led by Pacific Island Leaders, UBPP unlocks high-impact investment to scale ocean action and supports the prosperity, food security, climate resilience, health, and cultural identity of Pacific Islanders. Seed funding of US $100 million from the Bezos Earth Fund will support efforts to raise US $500 million by 2030.
Why it matters: The impacts of climate change, like ocean acidification, rising temperatures, and powerful storm surges, disproportionately impact the Blue Pacific despite island nations doing the least to cause the problem. Protecting and managing the Blue Pacific Continent prioritizes achieving conservation outcomes and leveraging the return on investment into Pacific Island economies.
2. Greece bans bottom trawling in marine protected areas
At the Our Ocean Conference on April 16, Greece announced a ban on bottom trawling in its national parks and marine sanctuaries. This historic ban will take effect in national parks by 2026 and all marine protected areas by 2030. In addition to banning bottom trawling, Greece also created the Ionian Marine National Park and the South Aegean Marine Protected Area, two new areas that will protect vital marine mammals, including the common dolphin, Cuvier’s beaked whale, and Mediterranean monk seal.
Why it matters: Greece is the first European country to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas and sanctuaries. To ensure the effective implementation of the global 30×30 target of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 — and ensure that protected areas are more than paper parks — more nations must champion similar legislation to protect marine ecosystems from damaging industrial fishing.
3. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea declares that nations must protect oceans from greenhouse gas emissions
In a historic court ruling on May 21, 2024, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ruled that anthropogenic atmospheric greenhouse gases absorbed by the ocean constitute “pollution of the marine environment” under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The first-ever climate advisory opinion from an international court also determined that UNCLOS member states have a legal obligation to prevent, reduce, and control greenhouse gas emissions.
Why it matters: 2024 is set to be the hottest year on record for the ocean, as greenhouse gas emissions spiked temperatures on land and sea. The ITLOS ruling marks a significant milestone in recognizing nations’ legal obligations to manage their greenhouse gas emissions for the ocean’s health. It sets a precedent for reinforcing nations’ legal accountability in mitigating climate change, which will likely influence future decisions by international bodies and domestic courts.
4. Coastal 500 strengthens community-led ocean protection
Coastal 500 is the largest global network of mayors and local government leaders committed to protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems to curb climate change and safeguard ocean biodiversity. On September 9, Coastal 500 welcomed 48 new leaders from Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. When local leaders join Coastal 500, they commit to leading their constituencies toward practices that empower communities with clear access rights to fisheries and sustainable governance. Since its launch in 2021, the network has grown to over 340 mayors. The network aspires to reach 500 coastal champions by the end of 2025.
Why it matters: The Community Seas, extending up to 12 nautical miles from shore, contain the ocean’s highest concentration of biodiversity intersecting with human activity. Nearly 500 million people worldwide depend on these coastal waters and small-scale fisheries for livelihood and food security. Coastal 500 elevates small-scale fishing communities globally to strengthen social capital, increase climate resilience, and protect coastal resources.
5. The US announces a National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy
On June 3, 2024, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced the United State’s National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy to unite scientists and share knowledge for ocean conservation. Created by the Smithsonian and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the new strategy establishes a procedure for collecting, managing, and applying ocean biodiversity data for evidence-based protection, conservation, restoration, and sustainable use.
Why it matters: The United States has one of the largest ocean territories in the world, which creates challenges in documenting and understanding marine species and ecological systems. The U.S. National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy will support greater collaboration among federal, Tribal, state, territorial, local, and non-governmental partners, helping to unite data documentation and inform decision-making.
6. IUCN adds Brazil’s RESEX Soure to the Green List
The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas recognizes sites achieving effective and equitable outcomes for people and nature. On October 15 at the Global Biodiversity Conference (COP16), Brazil’s Soure marine extractive reserve (RESEX) became the country’s first conservation area added to the list. Located on Marajó Island in Pará at the Amazon River’s mouth, the reserve’s success is bolstered by Rare Brazil, which has supported its governance since 2023. Rare facilitates stakeholder coordination, identifies needs, and ensures the management body operates effectively, including organizing regular, structured meetings in partnership with the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
Why it matters: More than half of the world’s mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse, according to IUCN’s first global mangrove assessment. Brazil is working towards protecting its mangrove ecosystems, some of the world’s most extensive mangrove forests, which are essential to local economies, food security, community livelihood, and climate resilience. Just seven months prior, in March 2024, Brazil declared two new marine extractive reserves in Pará state, placing about 75,000 hectares of mangroves and other coastal ecosystems under protection. Recognizing RESEX Soure on the Green List site draws global attention to Brazil’s Amazon coast leading to UNFCCC COP 30 in Belém in November 2025. Brazil’s marine extractive reserves are a shining example of the importance of supporting financial investment in mangrove ecosystems for climate resilience and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
7. France and Brazil join forces to center ocean-climate action on the international diplomatic agenda for 2025
On November 19, 2024, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and France’s President Emmanuel Macron committed to a multi-lateral strategic framework to protect the ocean, biodiversity, and coastal ecosystems. They also renewed their commitment to accelerating ocean-climate action as part of the global agenda in 2025.
Why it matters: France will host the 3rd UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice in June 2025, while Brazil will host the 30th UN Climate Conference in Belém in late 2025 — two monumental conventions that will help set the stage for global ocean-climate action through 2030. France and Brazil call on all countries to review their national climate and biodiversity strategies to include ocean action and strengthen coastal communities’ resilience to climate change.
8. Global leaders debate a new Global Plastics Treaty to turn off the plastic tap in the oceans
In November 2024, 175 countries met for the fifth time to continue negotiating a global treaty addressing plastic pollution, with debates on regulating plastics throughout their life cycle. The treaty aims to tackle microplastics, fishing gear, and ghost gear while bridging financial gaps for Small Island Developing States, which are disproportionally impacted by marine plastic pollution. While countries could not reach a final decision in 2024, they will reconvene in 2025.
Why it matters: By 2050, more plastic will be in the ocean than fish. Globally, plastic production and use is set to reach 736 million tonnes by 2040, up 70% from 435 million tonnes in 2020. The burden of marine plastic pollution has historically fallen on coastal communities disproportionately impacted by plastic that washes on their shores. The Global Plastics Treaty can address and mitigate the plastic crisis by addressing the root causes of marine plastic pollution.
9. Progress towards 30×30 in the ocean: The High Seas Treaty gains momentum, with the first 15 countries ratifying it
The High Seas Treaty, a landmark agreement from 2023 aimed at conserving marine biodiversity and sustainably using resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction, saw significant progress in 2024. Palau and Chile were the first to ratify the treaty in January 2024, with 13 additional countries following suit for 15 ratifications.
Why it matters: Two-thirds of the ocean lies beyond one country’s jurisdiction. This area is critical for ocean biodiversity, fish stocks, carbon storage, and global connectivity. The High Seas Treaty closed a legal vacuum in managing this area, including opening up the possibility of establishing new marine protected areas for high seas. While countries agreed on the treaty’s text in 2023 after a decade of negotiations, at least 60 countries must formally ratify it to go into effect. National governments must accelerate action for ratification ahead of the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in June 2025. Achieving the 30×30 target in the ocean requires a suite of ocean management tools, from high-seas MPAs to coastal protections that balance conservation with communities’ sustainable use of resources.
Looking ahead
From local communities to global treaties, 2024 demonstrated the power of collective action in ocean conservation. As we look to 2025 and beyond, these achievements remind us that the future of our oceans depends on continued collaboration among nations, communities, and individuals. Together, we can ensure a sustainable future for our planet and its oceans.
Photo Credits: Jessie Alpert, Enrico Marone, and Bernice Beltran for Rare, Jeremy Bishop for Pexels, Francesco Ungaro for Pexels