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In the spring of 2025, the 10th Our Ocean Conference held in Busan, South Korea, brought together government officials, researchers, civic groups, and youth representatives from various countries to broadly discuss efforts towards achieving a sustainable ocean.
At the event held on Friday, May 2, participants reviewed the outcomes of the Busan Conference and reaffirmed how the international community should collaborate to address global challenges such as climate change, ocean pollution, and biodiversity loss. Additionally, prospects and expectations for the upcoming 3rd UN Ocean Conference scheduled to be held in Nice, France, in June were discussed.
【 panelist 】
・Mr. Steven Victor (Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Environment, Republic of Palau)
・Mr. Torsten Thiele (Founder and Director, Global Ocean Trust)
・Mr. Kirapalti Ramakrishna (Director of the Center for Ocean Policy, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Senior Advisor for U.S. Ocean and Climate Policy)
・Ms. Jessica Newfield (Program Manager, Ocean Leadership Fellowship, Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA))
・Mr. Masanori Kobayashi (Senior Research Fellow, Ocean Policy Research Institute, Sasakawa Peace Foundation)
Review of the Busan Conference and Future Prospects
Representing the oceanic nation of Palau, Mr. Victor strongly advocated for the early ratification of the BBNJ Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) and the acceleration of actions to achieve the ’30by30 target’ of designating 30% of the ocean as protected areas by 2030. He also expressed a cautious stance towards the risks posed by deep-sea mining, stating that the health of the ocean is fundamental to the economy, livelihood, and culture of small island nations.
Following this, Mr. Ramakrishna highlighted the significance of the UN Ocean Conference as an evolving ‘action-oriented platform’ that involves not only intergovernmental negotiations but also private companies, research institutions, and civil society. He noted that over $160 billion in commitments have been made through the past ten conferences, with the Busan Conference alone seeing new pledges of approximately $10 billion, much of which is allocated to the blue economy (sustainable ocean economy).
Mr. Thiele summarized the outcomes of the Busan Conference from three perspectives: ‘clarification of accountability,’ ‘innovative ocean finance,’ and ‘regionally-led practical solutions.’ He highlighted advanced initiatives from Asia, such as South Korea’s issuance of blue bonds and the insurance system for small-scale fishers introduced by the Philippines, emphasizing the need for institutional design and investment through collaboration with diverse partners.
Ms. Newfield reported on the outcomes of the 8th Youth Leadership Summit organized by the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA). She introduced the ‘HOPE (Holistic Ocean Pledge)’ developed with young people from 35 countries, advocating for the importance of youth participating as ‘stakeholders’ rather than ‘bystanders’ in policy formation. The need for concrete institutional arrangements, such as formal participation in decision-making and financial support, was also mentioned.
Expectations for the Conference
The speakers unanimously emphasized that ‘climate change measures and ocean policy are inseparable.’ Towards the 3rd UN Ocean Conference scheduled in Nice in June and the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) at the end of the year, there is a need to establish effective international cooperation frameworks that achieve both ocean conservation and economic development.
In particular, ‘inclusive governance’ that reflects the voices of island nations and youth in policy, ‘connecting science and policy,’ and the development of ‘new schemes for financing’ emerged as important themes for the future.
The speakers also highly praised the BLUE OCEAN DOME at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo for functioning as a forum for discussing ocean policy. The continuation of such dialogue forums is seen as key to enhancing international momentum for ocean conservation, with 2025 expected to be a turning point.
▼The event is available on YouTube on the BLUE OCEAN DOME official channel. Please visit the site.
【#019】 Outcomes of the Busan Ocean Conference and Prospects for the UN Ocean Conference (ZERI JAPAN)