Over $16 Billion Dedicated to Better Protect Our Oceans

At the end of the seventh edition of Our Ocean Conference held in Koror, Palau, more than 400 commitments were made, worth more than $16 billion, to protect ocean health as participants addressed the most urgent ocean issues.

“We’re starting now finally to act with the urgency that the moment demands,” says John Kerry, U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, “as we understand that we have to accelerate even more. Ocean protection is key to confronting climate change and cutting greenhouse gas emissions is vital for future ocean health.”

Hosted jointly by the Republic of Palau and the United States, the “Our Ocean, Our People, Our Prosperity” conference focused on six areas: tackling marine pollution, advancing marine protected areas, combating climate change, promoting sustainable fisheries, achieving safe and secure oceans, and creating sustainable blue economies. Collectively, the seven editions of the conference made more than 1,800 commitments worth $108 billion and protected some 13 million square kilometers of ocean.