UNEP Webinar – Reimagining Ocean Action

About This Event

The ocean is a fundamental pillar of global economic stability, food security, climate regulation and human well-being. For many countries, particularly coastal and island states, ocean health is directly linked to economic stability, livelihoods, tourism, fisheries and climate resilience.

Yet despite growing global ambition, the need to transform international commitments into measurable implementation and long-term resilience remains urgent.

Increasingly, ocean degradation reflects fragmented governance across interconnected systems spanning land, freshwater, coastal and marine environments. Activities upstream, including wastewater discharge, nutrient pollution, plastics, urban development and inadequate wastewater management, directly affect downstream ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves and coastal waters, with significant economic and financial implications.

These impacts are particularly pronounced in countries and communities highly dependent on coastal and marine ecosystems.

Addressing these challenges requires more than political commitment alone. It requires integrated governance approaches, stronger regional cooperation, science-based decision-making, and financing systems capable of connecting source-to-sea processes with measurable environmental, economic and social outcomes.

The entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement marks a historic moment in global ocean governance and reflects growing recognition that protecting the ocean requires collective responsibility, stronger cooperation and implementation across sectors and borders.

Celebrating World Oceans Day 2026, this webinar will convene high-level policymakers, regional organizations, financial institutions, private sector actors and technical experts to explore how integrated ocean action can help build a more resilient, equitable and sustainable future for people and planet.