Momentum is building for a strong political outcome relating to oceans at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022, including the greater ambition to cut greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening measures to build the resilience of coastal communities to climate change impacts and the financing needed for this.

Oceans cover around 70% of the surface of the planet, and people in coastal regions continue to be at the forefront of the fight against climate change and are disproportionately affected. At the same time, oceans have a vast potential to store carbon, and coastal waters are, for example, a prime location for renewable energy projects and ecosystem protection and restoration.

As a key outcome of an Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue held in June, the UN Climate Change Secretariat has published a new report highlighting the vital importance of the ocean for livelihoods and biodiversity and as a fundamental component of the climate system, underscoring the need for greater ocean-related climate action at COP27.

The report delves into the need for governments to promote clear and long-horizon policy frameworks to cut greenhouse gas emissions, including through offshore renewable energy and emission reductions from shipping.

The Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue Report lay out 10 key messages for governments to consider in the lead-up to COP27 which set out opportunities for greater ambition and action for ocean climate action at the national and international levels. These key messages are:

1. We must protect our ocean and value its potential as a place for sustainable climate solutions and action.
2. Ocean-based measures offer significant mitigation (cutting greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation (building resilience to climate change) options.
3. The ocean offers a space for integrated solutions that can be reflected in national climate policies and strategies.
4. Marine technology and marine and coastal nature-based solutions should be integrated to ensure that action is more robust, comprehensive and cost-effective than when using either solution alone.
5. We must use, improve and integrate the latest available ocean science and other knowledge systems.
6. A whole-of-society approach is needed for the ocean–climate action, including addressing governance aspects.
7. Funding for ocean-climate action needs to increase and access to funding must be supported
8. Strengthened finance and other support, including capacity building, must embrace complexity to provide innovative and multidisciplinary solutions.
9. A framework for collaborative efforts across UN Processes would increase institutional support for ocean-climate action.
10. Future ocean and climate change dialogues should focus on distinct topics to deep-dive into specific solutions that strategically support and strengthen ocean-climate action at the national and international levels and under the UNFCCC process.