Synopsis

Developed by World Resources Institute and seven other leading environmental organizations, “Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions: Opportunities for Ocean-Based Climate Action” outlines the best ways countries can use ocean-based action to curb greenhouse gas emissions and better adapt to the impacts of climate change. The paper focuses on four ocean-based subsectors that have the greatest potential to curb emissions and deliver significant other benefits: marine conservation (coastal and marine ecosystem restoration and protection), oceanic and coastal fisheries, marine transport, and ocean-based renewable energy.

Key Findings

  • Despite being heavily impacted by climate change, the ocean and ocean economy can also contribute to global efforts to limit warming. The potential of the ocean as a source of opportunities for mitigation is not limited to its natural ecosystems but extends to the ocean economy, including transport, energy, and food production.
  • Developed by World Resources Institute and seven other leading international conservation organizations, this guide presents a set of options for ocean-based sectoral mitigation targets, policies, or measures for countries to include in new or updated NDCs. It also includes a set of options for ocean-based adaptation measures for those countries that continue to include an adaptation component in their NDCs.
  • The opportunities for ocean-based climate action identified in this guide are drawn from four ocean-based subsectors that show the greatest mitigation potential while also delivering significant co-benefits: marine conservation (coastal and marine ecosystem restoration and protection), oceanic and coastal fisheries, marine transport, and ocean-based renewable energy.
  • For island and coastal countries, ocean-based mitigation action can help to further increase economy-wide ambitions by providing additional means of reducing emissions or enhancing natural ocean-based sinks.
  • Ocean-based climate action must be accompanied by deep cuts in emissions across terrestrial GHG sources, including measures to phase out fossil fuels, create sustainable food systems, and increase carbon sequestration and storage in forests and other natural ecosystems

Executive Summary

Full executive summary available in the paper.

Related Publications