IUCN Champions Marine Conservation Across Asia at Global Ocean Conferences

In a continued mission to protect the ocean and its life-sustaining resources across Asia, IUCN played an active role at two major global gatherings for ocean action – the 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) and the 3rd United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC3). Through globally respected tools like the IUCN Green List Standard – a standard that promotes conservation goals in protected areas – IUCN supports efforts to advance Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework: conserving 30% of marine areas by 2030.

At the 10th OOC, IUCN joined pivotal sessions on mapping marine protected areas in the Coral Triangle – a marine area that spans six countries in Asia-Pacific that is home to 70% of the world’s coral species. We also contributed to discussions on establishing a regional marine protected area (MPA) in the East Asian Seas, aimed at addressing threats such as pollution, overfishing and climate change.  

At UNOC3, IUCN welcomed the renewed global momentum for ocean protection. We value the recognition on the importance of scaling finance, tackling plastic pollution, addressing the impacts of climate change and stepping up conservation efforts that align with international laws. These dialogues also highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration to protect the ocean’s most vulnerable ecosystems.

One of IUCN’s key regional initiatives is the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystems Phase II (BOBLME II) project, which aims to tackle marine challenges in one of the world’s largest marine ecosystems. By working with national and local stakeholders, BOBLME II aims to establish protected areas that conserve biodiversity while strengthening livelihood opportunities for coastal communities that rely on fishing.

Maeve Nightingale, Regional Coordinator of IUCN Asia’s Coastal and Marine programme, emphasised that lessons learned from this project can contribute to regional efforts to strengthen governance and conservation efforts. “I was inspired by the high-level commitments to MPAs, protection of the High Seas and efforts to limit deep sea mining, at this year’s UNOC,” she shared. “It was encouraging to hear renewed commitment to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as well as to protect small scale fisheries. These efforts strongly align with the objectives of the BOBLME II project.”

Across Asia, IUCN will continue to build partnerships with governments, communities, and civil society to turn targets into tangible results. As the world races to meet the 2030 target, the need for coordinated action has never been clearer—or more urgent.