There is a growing recognition that the ocean is an essential component of climate action, as demonstrated during the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue, held 10–11 June during the sixty-fourth session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 64) in Bonn, Germany. As countries look ahead to the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP31) in November, discussions increasingly focused on how to accelerate implementation at the scale required.
Across the Dialogue’s three themes – ocean-based measures in nationally determined contributions (NDCs), means of implementation, and ocean-climate-biodiversity synergies – a common message emerged: countries are making significant progress in integrating ocean priorities into climate policy, but substantial barriers remain to translating commitments into action. Mangroves and other coastal wetlands were central to the Dialogue and recognized throughout as proven solutions that simultaneously deliver climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity conservation, food security, and community resilience.
Background: The UNFCCC SBSTA and the Growing Ocean Focus
The UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) plays a crucial role in providing the Conference of the Parties (COP) with scientific and technological advice. Its sessions are critical junctures for refining the scientific underpinnings of climate policy and identifying practical pathways for implementation. The inclusion of a dedicated Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue within SBSTA 64 signifies a maturing understanding within the UNFCCC process that the ocean is not merely a recipient of climate change impacts but a vital part of the solution. This dialogue, occurring in the lead-up to COP31, provided a crucial platform for nations to assess progress, identify bottlenecks, and forge collaborative strategies for enhancing ocean-based climate action. The urgency is underscored by the accelerating pace of climate change, with ocean warming, sea-level rise, and ocean acidification posing existential threats to coastal communities and marine ecosystems globally.
Ocean-Based Measures in NDCs: From Inclusion to Implementation
The first theme of the Dialogue examined how ocean-based climate action is reflected in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the cornerstone of the Paris Agreement. Participants highlighted substantial progress in recent years. The share of coastal and island countries including ocean-based measures in their NDCs has risen, reflecting growing recognition of the ocean-climate nexus. For mangroves, the momentum is encouraging: 15 Mangrove Breakthrough-endorsing governments have already included mangrove-specific targets or references in their NDCs. The Mangrove Breakthrough, a global initiative, mobilizes collective action from governments and non-governmental actors to advance mangrove conservation and finance.
Countries and observers emphasized that ocean-related commitments are often focused on adaptation rather than mitigation and are not consistently translated into clear, measurable targets. During discussions, participants also stressed that implementation readiness is required for investment readiness. To lay the foundation for successful implementation, countries highlighted the need to overcome several barriers, including improved access to data and robust monitoring systems, technical guidance and capacity, strategic partnerships, and stakeholder engagement platforms, as well as improved institutional coordination.
The inclusion of mangroves in NDCs is a significant step, as these vital ecosystems are estimated to store up to five times more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests. However, the transition from policy commitment to tangible on-the-ground action requires overcoming a complex web of challenges. For instance, a recent report by Wetlands International and the Global Mangrove Alliance highlighted that while many countries have ambitious mangrove restoration targets, the actual financing and technical capacity for implementation often fall short. This gap between stated ambition and practical delivery was a recurring theme throughout the Dialogue.
Means of Implementation: Closing the Gap Between Ambition and Delivery
The second theme focused on one of the most pressing challenges: the implementation of commitments. Across regions, countries described a persistent mismatch between the scale of ocean-related commitments and the resources available to deliver them. For many developing countries, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and developing coastal nations, implementation remains heavily dependent on external support. As a result, finance emerged as the dominant issue throughout the discussions.
Participants repeatedly highlighted the difficulty of accessing climate finance, developing investable project pipelines, and navigating fragmented funding mechanisms. The World Bank estimates that climate finance flows to developing countries have not kept pace with their needs, and a significant portion of this finance is often directed towards terrestrial projects, leaving ocean-based solutions underfunded.
Countries called for stronger support to develop investment-ready projects, improve access to existing climate and biodiversity funds, and build the technical capacity needed to prepare, implement, and monitor large-scale initiatives.
For the Mangrove Breakthrough and its co-founder, the Global Mangrove Alliance – a worldwide coalition of non-governmental organizations, governments, scientists, and local communities dedicated to protecting and restoring mangrove ecosystems – this call for support reinforces the importance of several of the Mangrove Breakthrough’s tools, resources, and initiatives. These include its Financial Roadmap, the Mangrove Catalytic Facility, and the Regional Readiness Reports, as well as country-level investment propositions. These efforts are designed to help bridge the gap between national ambition and practical implementation by supporting governments and partners in developing fundable, high-integrity mangrove programmes.
Existing tools and resources such as the Global Mangrove Watch and the Global Mangrove Alliance’s Best Practice Guidelines for Mangrove Restoration are also well positioned to help countries identify priority mangrove areas, track progress, and design mangrove restoration efforts that deliver long-term ecological and social benefits.
A particularly promising development discussed during the Dialogue was the upcoming UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) Forum on Oceans and Water Systems. The SCF is responsible for assisting countries to coordinate and mobilize finance for climate action. In September, the SCF Forum will focus on ocean and water systems, which are historically underfunded but vitally important for climate action. Participants expressed hope that the Forum could help to elevate ocean finance within broader climate finance discussions and identify pathways to scale investment in coastal ecosystems and resilience. The SCF’s focus on oceans and water systems is particularly timely, as these ecosystems are often overlooked in traditional climate finance mechanisms, despite their immense potential for carbon sequestration and climate adaptation.
Ocean-Climate-Biodiversity Synergies: Breaking Down Silos
The Dialogue’s third theme explored synergies between climate, biodiversity, and ocean agendas. Participants repeatedly stressed that mangroves, seagrasses, and other coastal wetlands are uniquely positioned to deliver multiple benefits simultaneously. These "blue carbon" ecosystems not only sequester significant amounts of carbon but also provide critical habitat for marine life, protect coastlines from erosion and storm surges, and support local livelihoods through fisheries and tourism.
Despite this obvious overlap, many countries continue to struggle with fragmented governance systems, separate reporting requirements, and institutional silos. In many countries, multiple agencies remain responsible for different aspects of marine and coastal management, making coordination difficult. This fragmentation can lead to conflicting policies, duplicated efforts, and missed opportunities for integrated action.
Throughout the Dialogue, participants emphasized the need for stronger coherence between NDCs, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and implementation plans under other multilateral environmental agreements such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. This integrated approach is essential for maximizing the co-benefits of nature-based solutions.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in December 2022, featured prominently in discussions, particularly Target 2 and Target 3, relating to ecosystem restoration and conservation. Dialogue participants highlighted that mangroves provide a powerful example of what integrated action can look like in practice. By protecting and restoring mangrove ecosystems and other wetlands, countries can simultaneously advance their climate commitments under the UNFCCC, biodiversity goals under the Global Biodiversity Framework, and wetland conservation objectives under the Ramsar Convention. This multi-pronged approach is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building resilient societies.
Monitoring and reporting emerged as a practical entry point for enhancing coherence. Several discussions focused on opportunities to harmonize indicators, improve data sharing, and reuse information across conventions. Participants noted that many countries face severe capacity constraints and would benefit from more integrated approaches that reduce reporting burdens. For example, consistent monitoring of mangrove extent and health can inform reporting for both climate (e.g., carbon stock changes) and biodiversity (e.g., habitat loss) conventions, thereby streamlining efforts and reducing costs.
Participants also highlighted the important role that civil society, scientific institutions, and non-state actors can play in facilitating collaboration across National Focal Points of the different conventions, ministries, and sectors. Platforms such as the Global Mangrove Watch, alongside national mangrove or blue carbon strategies and cross-ministerial coordination mechanisms, were cited as examples of practical ways that can support integrated implementation. The involvement of local communities and indigenous peoples is also crucial, as they often possess invaluable traditional knowledge and are directly impacted by the health of coastal ecosystems.
Looking Toward COP31: Momentum for Ocean Action
As the Dialogue concluded, participants expressed optimism about the growing prominence of ocean issues within the UNFCCC process. Incoming COP31 leadership signalled strong interest in elevating ocean-climate action and ensuring that the outcomes of the Ocean Dialogue inform preparations for both the pre-COP and COP31 itself. The hosting of COP31 in a nation with significant coastal interests will undoubtedly amplify the focus on ocean-based solutions.
Looking ahead, participants called for the Dialogue process to become more closely aligned with the Paris Agreement ambition cycle. Future dialogues could progressively support countries through the different stages of climate action – from integrating ocean priorities into NDCs to implementation, transparency, reporting, and informing future UNFCCC Global Stocktakes, the assessments of the world’s collective progress towards achieving global climate goals that take place every five years. This alignment is crucial for ensuring that the momentum generated in these dialogues translates into concrete progress on the ground.
The discussions in Bonn made clear that many of the tools, knowledge, and partnerships already exist. The task ahead is to mobilize them at the scale and speed required to secure resilient ecosystems for the people and biodiversity that depend on them. The Mangrove Breakthrough NDC Task Force – a global coalition of experts that helps countries to design and implement their mangrove NDCs – stands ready to support Mangrove Breakthrough-endorsing governments in advancing implementation and investment planning for their mangrove NDCs. This collaborative effort highlights the growing recognition that effective ocean climate action requires a multi-stakeholder approach, bringing together governments, NGOs, scientists, and local communities. The success of such initiatives hinges on sustained political will, adequate financial investment, and robust capacity building, particularly for developing nations.
The insights gleaned from the SBSTA 64 Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue serve as a critical roadmap for future climate negotiations and action. By addressing the identified barriers and leveraging the existing momentum, the international community can harness the power of the ocean to achieve ambitious climate goals and build a more sustainable future.
Susanna Tol is a senior communications and advocacy officer on the Coasts and Deltas team at Wetlands International. Anelise Zimmer is a policy officer on The Pew Charitable Trusts’ advancing coastal wetlands conservation project.
