With five years left to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 (30×30), only 8% of the ocean is currently under protection. The creation of the traditional marine protected area (MPA) has been too slow and fragmented to meet the 30×30 goal.
To rapidly achieve 30×30 goals, governments, nonprofits, and philanthropists are looking to expand the ocean conservation toolbox to include locally-led solutions for protecting the ocean. And Rare is helping lead the way.
In May 2025, Rare announced its role as part of a newly-launched initiative called Revive Our Ocean, a collective of best-in-class organizations working to create effective locally-led marine protected areas. Led by Dynamic Planet and in coordination with the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas program, the initial members of the collective include COAST, the Oceano Azul Foundation, Cyclades Preservation Fund, the Mediterranean Conservation Society, and Atlas Aquatica.
Revive Our Ocean is also a co-producer of noted documentarian David Attenborough’s latest film, Ocean. The film’s release coincides with his 99th birthday and World Ocean Day on June 8.
“Rare brings lessons from over 2,000 communities in eight countries, including the Philippines and Indonesia, to Revive Our Ocean,” said Rocky Sanchez Tirona, Managing Director of Rare’s Fish Forever coastal fisheries program. “This initiative allows us to reach many more countries where coastal ecosystems are so tied to the livelihoods and well-being of thousands of communities.”
One of Revive Our Ocean’s main goals is to build a global community of practice, united by a vision to restore the ocean by those who know their waters best. The coalition equips communities to share best practices and access a global network of top marine protection experts.
“Reviving marine life revives local economies and communities,” said Kristin Rechberger, founder of Dynamic Planet. “Effective MPAs are the building blocks of the regenerative blue economy. The world committed to quadrupling ocean protection in the next five years, and coastal communities know their waters best. Revive Our Ocean is a new model for coastal prosperity, inspiring communities to take action and helping make coastal marine conservation scalable and effective.”
As a core Revive Our Ocean collective member, Rare will accelerate community-led marine protected areas in the Philippines and Indonesia, supporting local leaders and communities to scale sustainable fisheries management and coastal protection.
“Rare is an important member of the Revive Our Ocean Collective,” added Rechberger. “Rare shows that small-scale fishing communities that include no fishing areas are helping revitalize coastal fisheries and ecosystems, making coastal marine protection good business.”
Rare also aims to leverage the collective power of the Coastal 500, a global network of mayors and local government leaders who share best practices on protecting their coastal waters and advocating for locally led solutions, as an enabler for scaling geographic reach and impact.
“As a mayor, Coastal 500 member, and an advocate for good local governance, I believe in the power of collective progress and resilience,” said Mayor Alfredo Coro II, Mayor of Del Carmen, Siargao, Philippines. “Our small actions leading towards working together with all stakeholders can influence positive change at the national and international levels.”
Revive Our Ocean also produced a series of powerful, cinematic short films to accompany the campaign’s rollout. These films illustrate the transformative impact of MPAs through real-world success stories and compelling testimonies. They will spotlight four key groups—fishers, tourism leaders, mayors, and heads of state—all critical to advancing ocean protection. Mayor Coro is featured in the ‘Mayor’ short film.
While 30×30 commitments are negotiated at the national and international levels, its impact is felt locally. The Revive Our Ocean coalition recognizes that global change will not be possible without investment in local leadership and effective local coastal governance by communities on the frontlines.
“Being a part of Revive Our Ocean will strengthen, not just Del Carmen’s waters, but the waters of all frontline coastal communities,” said Coro. “This is local action for global impact.”