The second UN Ocean Conference was held in Lisbon from 27^th June to 1^st July, 2022. The Conference saw the unanimous adoption of the Lisbon Declaration, a suite of science-based and innovative actions, taking into account the capacity challenges facing developing countries, in particular, Small Island Developing States and Least Developing Countries, at the frontline of the devastating impacts of the ocean emergency.

Voluntary Commitments Snapshot – Investments:

• The Protecting Our Planet Challenge will invest at least USD 1 billion to support the creation, expansion and management of marine protected area and Indigenous and locally governed marine and coastal areas by 2030.
• The European Investment Bank will extend an additional EUR 150 million across the Caribbean Region as part of the Clean Oceans Initiative to improve climate resilience, water management and solid waste management.
• The Global Environment Facility approved a $25 million grant towards Colombia’s marine protected areas.
• Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance announced a multimillion-dollar global search for the next generation of projects to build resilience of coastal communities and finance through finance and insurance products.

Marine Protected Areas and Pollution:

• Portugal committed to ensure that 100% of the marine area under Portuguese sovereignty or jurisdiction is assessed as being in Good Environmental State and classify 30% of the national marine areas by 2030.
• India committed to a Coastal Clean Seas Campaign and will work toward a ban on single use plastics, beginning with plastic bags.

Climate Action:

• USA and Norway announced a Green Shipping Challenge for COP 27.
• Chile is working with specialized centers to develop a network of green corridors for maritime transport in order to achieve zero carbon shipping.

Deep Sea Mining:

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, speaking on the sidelines of the UN ocean conference, called for a legal framework to stop deep-sea mining from going ahead and urged countries to put their money into science to better understand and protect the world’s oceans. This followed the Pacific island nation of Palau launching an alliance of countries that support a moratorium, which Fiji and Samoa subsequently joined.

All in all, there were a ‘blitz of pledges’. Finally, Mongabay asked ‘U.N. Ocean Conference ends with promises. Is a sea change coming?’