Driving Forward an Equitable Ocean Economy

WRI’s work strengthens the evidence base for equitable and effective ocean action. Drawing on feedback from rights holders, policy makers and ocean leaders from around the world, we focus on three main areas:

• The Ocean Dependence Framework (ODF): working with in-country partners, we compile existing data and apply a standardized participatory approach to measure the economic, nutritional and cultural connection between coastal communities and marine ecosystems. The co-designed, co-owned framework informs development and protected area planning, as well as coastal restoration, by identifying who depends on what, where and how. It ensures these connections are visible in policy, mitigating potential future conflict and maximizing the possibility of thriving oceans and coastal populations.

• Tenure and Access Rights: marine tenure systems are often overlooked in formal planning and face significant barriers that limit the security of rights and livelihoods for communities that depend on these resources. WRI’s work seeks to document and elevate customary rights in governance processes, demonstrating their critical role in achieving conservation and development goals. This helps build political will to secure tenure systems that advance equitable development.
• Ocean Equity in Governance: WRI works with governments, civil society and global initiatives to support inclusive ocean governance. We analyze policies and create technical guidance built on evidence gathered with ocean stakeholders to understand where governance systems fall short and to identify opportunities to improve procedural equity. We build the case for more equitable approaches by helping integrate ocean and equity considerations into national strategies, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Our work creates pathways for just, locally grounded action in international climate and biodiversity processes.

WRI’s ocean equity work directly supports global efforts to build a sustainable and inclusive blue economy, championed by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, the Global Biodiversity Framework conservation and restoration targets, and national climate commitments. As countries develop Sustainable Ocean Plans to manage their national waters sustainably, our research supports countries in co-developing policies that are socially grounded and ecologically effective. We also engage in international fora like Our Ocean Conference to provide opportunities to exchange knowledge, elevate coastal voices and connect communities to commitments.

_{Cover image by geoff trodd/Unsplash}