The report comes as six countries join the Blue NDC Challenge at COP30 to accelerate ocean action in national climate commitments – including Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Indonesia, Portugal and Singapore

Belém, Brazil (November 18, 2025) – The ocean is increasingly being recognized in national climate plans – but most countries are still overlooking the most powerful actions to cut emissions and build resilience, according to a new report led by World Resources Institute (WRI), with Ocean Conservancy and Ocean & Climate Platform, released today at COP30 in Belém.

Of 66 newly submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from coastal and island countries, 61 include at least one ocean-related measure*. That marks an increase from 62% in 2015, to 73% in 2022, and now 92% of NDCs submitted so far for the 2025 NDC cycle.

Yet the most transformative measures – such as phasing out offshore oil and gas, decarbonizing shipping, expanding offshore renewables, and scaling sustainable seafood – remain rare, making up just 12% of ocean actions. Countries are still only scratching the surface of the ocean’s climate potential. 

Research from the Ocean Panel shows that ocean-based climate solutions can deliver up to 35% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions needed to limit warming to 1.5°C by 2050 – a major missed opportunity if left untapped.  

“With the window to cut emissions rapidly closing, coastal and island countries yet to submit their NDCs must recognize the ocean as a powerful, underused ally in meeting global climate goals.” said Tom Pickerell, Global Director for WRI's Ocean Program. “Despite growing momentum, ocean-based climate solutions remain underfunded and overlooked. What’s needed at this COP is bold recognition of the ocean’s potential – and action to deploy proven solutions at scale."

Some countries are already showing how integrating ocean action across sectors can advance both climate and development goals.  

  • Republic of the Marshall Islands: Its NDC includes cutting domestic shipping emissions by 40% by 2030, testing innovative Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion technology to generate clean energy, and managing fisheries to safeguard cultural heritage and livelihoods. The country has also designated nearly 48,000 km² of ocean as protected sanctuaries.
  • Brazil: Its NDC aims to generate 16 GW of offshore wind energy by 2050 and establish the regulatory framework to make this expansion possible – creating jobs, strengthening energy independence and advancing a clean energy future for the country.  

Separate research by the Ocean Panel suggests that every $1 invested in ocean solutions could yield at least $5 in global benefits by 2050. Conversely, continuing harmful and unsustainable ocean practices could result in more than $8 trillion in losses by 2050.

“There's a huge gap between the promise of ocean-climate solutions and the pace at which we are adopting them,” said Anna-Maria Laura, Senior Director of Climate Policy at Ocean Conservancy. “The gap isn’t in science or technology – it’s in funding and implementation. The ocean is sounding the alarm through stronger storms, dying coral reefs, and rising seas. But the ocean can also help us fight back through solutions like offshore wind. It’s time to fund and implement these solutions as if the future of our ocean and our planet depend on them – because they do.”

The report also highlights the urgent need for countries to rapidly step up measures to adapt to the effects of a changing climate. Island and coastal countries face especially high stakes, with over 680 million people currently living in low-lying coastal zones at risk from rising seas and coastal erosion – a figure expected to surpass 1 billion by 2050.  

The latest NDCs show some progress on adaptation: in fact, over 90% of ocean actions focus on adaptation, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Oceania. Yet the pace and scale of action remain far too low to protect vulnerable communities and livelihoods, and gaps in technology and knowledge transfer hold back effective action. Alarmingly, just 13% of ocean-based actions explicitly address equity, even though women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and local coastal communities are often hit hardest by climate impacts.

To help close these gaps, the Blue NDC Challenge, launched earlier this year by France and Brazil, helps countries in strengthen and implement ocean-climate actions in their national commitments. Coordinated by WRI, the Ocean & Climate Platform and Ocean Conservancy, the Challenge welcomes six new members today at COP30 – Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Indonesia, Portugal and Singapore. Together, these countries will form the Blue NDC Taskforce to drive implementation of ocean commitments in the 2025 NDC cycle, by mobilizing political leadership, technical expertise and investment.

“Meeting global climate goals won’t happen in isolation,” said Melanie Robinson, said WRI’s Global Climate, Economics and Finance Program Director. “Countries, communities, and organizations must work together – sharing knowledge, aligning policies and scaling solutions. Initiatives like the Blue NDC Challenge show how collaboration can transform promises into action, shielding coastal communities from rising seas, creating green jobs, and charting the world toward a cleaner, more resilient future.”  

“As countries move from promises to action, this round of climate plans must serve as clear roadmaps for guiding every step of the journey," said Loreley Picourt, Executive Director of the Ocean & Climate Platform. "By directing investment, building capacity and scaling solutions, we can secure a resilient ocean – but if we fail, we risk undermining the foundation of life on our planet.”

Notes to Editors

Media contact: Sophie Brady, [email protected]

About the report:

  • *The report defines an ocean action, or ocean-related measure, as a policy, target or measure that aims to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, sequester GHGs, or support adaptation and resilience to climate impacts in the ocean and in coastal and marine environments.
  • NDCs included in the report were submitted since the Global Stocktake, up to November 6, 2025. Ocean inclusion in coastal and island nations’ NDCs has increased:  
  • Report co-authors: World Resources Institute, Ocean Conservancy, Ocean & Climate Platform, Oceans 5, NDC Partnership, Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Nature Conservancy.

About World Resources Institute (WRI) 
WRI works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.