Oceans

Three new regions — Assam (India), Louga (Senegal), and Pernambuco (Brazil) — have joined the Race to Resilience campaign through RegionsAdapt, committing to enhance climate resilience. Discover how these areas are empowering local communities, from rural farming to coastal restoration, to protect their environments and create sustainable futures.

As part of an ongoing series to support the Climate Champions’ Ocean Breakthroughs, the Edges of Earth expedition team spoke with Connie Crocker (Xwulslim). Connie shared her journey from a childhood immersed in fishing to leading efforts to restore vital kelp forests in British Columbia.

Rising sea levels, more frequent storm surges, and erosion are jeopardising the intricate coastal features and ecosystems that create perfect waves, threatening both the sport and the economies it supports. In response, Race to Resilience partner, the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), are supporting Save The Waves with their pioneering and innovative insurance model in El Salvador, aimed at protecting precious surf ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. 

On International Youth Day 2024 meet the Climate Champions Youth Fellows driving change across the globe. These inspiring young professionals are leading the charge in climate diplomacy, working alongside UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for COP28 and COP29.

As part of an ongoing series to support the Climate Champions’ Ocean Breakthroughs, the Edges of Earth expedition team met with a woman whose family has been at the centre of Cabo Pulmo for generations —Judith Castro. During their conversation, Judith talked about how she has grown up alongside Cabo Pulmo, sharing the losses and the wins — and how she and her family transformed the oldest coral reef on the west coast of North America.

The Climate Champions are collaborating with the Edges of Earth expedition team, spotlighting local environmental champions around the planet to amplify the Ocean Breakthroughs via exclusively published content.

Discover the inspiring journey of Chuen in our latest Edges of Earth series, as she navigates the challenges of coastal tourism — one of five key sectors for the Ocean Breakthroughs — while upholding her deep commitment to community and nature.

As part of a new series to support the Ocean Breakthroughs, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions and the Edges of Earth expedition explore how a community is adapting to and combating the impacts of climate change in the capital of Sri Lanka. The Edges of Earth team had the opportunity to spend two weeks living alongside Hafsa Jamel (pictured), learning about their work supporting local nature-based solutions that aim to mitigate climate challenges in their home country.

In April 2024, NOAA and ICRI scientists confirmed the fourth global coral bleaching event, highlighting the escalating impacts of climate change on coral reefs. This has spurred initiatives like the Coral Reef Breakthrough and the Global Fund for Coral Reefs to enhance protection, double effective conservation areas, and mobilize significant funding for restoration efforts.

In June 2021, the Nature-based Solutions for Climate, Biodiversity & People in the UAE Project was launched, focusing on the management and restoration of key coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes.  

Since its announcement at COP27, the Mangrove Breakthrough has gained significant momentum and brought much-needed attention to mangroves, critical coastal forests that provide essential benefits to society, biodiversity, and climate.

As the winners of the 2023 Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Environments (RISE) grants challenge are announced, we take a look back at the transformative work of the 2022 cohort.

To mark this year’s Earth Day theme of Plastics Vs Planet, Sian Sutherland, Co-Founder, A Plastic Planet & Plastic Health Council, imagines a post-plastic world, abundant with innovation, where true regenerative circularity is achieved.

Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, Director for Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Area Platform, CGIAR and winner of the 2021 World Food Prize aquatic foods explains why aquatic foods — managed and produced sustainably — have the potential to revolutionize our diets and contribute to food security.

As the Our Ocean Conference begins in Greece this week, Race to Resilience partner, the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), underscores the critical need for investments in a regenerative and sustainable blue economy – vital for tackling the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Dubai, UAE, 10th, December, 2023: COP28 made significant progress towards securing the Mangrove Breakthrough’s goal of 15 million hectares of mangroves underpinned by USD 4 billion of new investments by 2030. Global mangrove protection and restoration has secured significant support of over 40 new governments via the Mangrove Breakthrough leading to and at the UNFCCC […]

Tres miembros de la Delegación de la Comunidad de Primera Línea (FCD), María Pedro de Pedro, Briseida Iglesias López de Guerrero y Maricela Fernández Fernández, arrojan luz sobre las realidades urgentes enfrentadas por quienes están más directamente afectados por el cambio climático. Sus historias revelan no sólo los desafíos, sino también la resiliencia y las soluciones encontradas dentro de las comunidades de primera línea.

Three members of the Frontline Community Delegation (FCD), Maria Pedro de Pedro, Briseida Iglesias Lopez de Guerrero, and Maricela Fernández Fernández, shed light on the urgent realities faced by those most directly impacted by climate change. Their stories reveal not only the challenges but also the resilience and solutions found within frontline communities.

The momentum for implementing ocean-based policy frameworks at COP28 has become undeniable, which will have a profound impact on the ocean and the people who depend on these ecosystems. Delivering on these solutions will require unprecedented levels of action, cooperation and collaboration, explains Kristina Rodriguez, Oceans & Coastal Zone Fellow.

A new report launched today at COP28 examines shipping’s short and long-term impact on ocean health, productivity, and biodiversity, highlighting the importance of a coordinated approach and links between actions to decarbonize and protect ocean health anchored in shipping practices.

Andrew Dumbrille & Elissama Menezes from maritime solutions organization, Equal Routes discuss the 2030 Shipping Pact for People and Nature (2030 SPPaN) which envisions a future where sustainable shipping practices benefit nature, people, and the planet, overcoming hurdles through partnerships, accountability measures, and a holistic approach to governance.