EDF at the United Nations Ocean Conference

The ocean, covering over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, is crucial for providing food and nutrition, generating oxygen, absorbing greenhouse gases, and supporting national economies, including through international trade. Ocean-based food sources, including those of fish, shellfish, marine plants and algae, and mineral origins, are rich in essential proteins, fats, diverse micronutrients, and vital minerals. Marine resources and seaways are indispensable for ensuring food security and nutrition, especially as global food systems and livelihoods face increasing threats from overfishing, biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution from plastics and heavy metals. As the global population grows, we must produce more with less, and the ocean, with its diverse and nutritious food supply, is a key part of the solution.

The Trade and Blue Food House will bring people together to share knowledge, highlight innovative and scalable solutions, and promote international cooperation for sustainable ocean-based food systems, trade, and value chains. It will showcase best practices, especially from developing countries and for small-scale actors, and underline the need for clear, harmonized standards in sustainable fishing and aquaculture. The House will also advocate for responsible trade in ocean foods, showing how it can support both ocean health and biodiversity. By emphasizing the economic value and nutrition and livelihood contributions of blue foods, the initiative aims to raise awareness among all the participants of the UN Ocean Conference.

Co-organized by UN Trade and Development and Aquatic Blue Food Coalition in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, all with the kind support of France and the Republic of Angola.

Join us for a discussion on the critical role aquatic blue foods play in advancing the SDGs across major international convenings in 2025, including UNOC, Bonn SB62, UN Food Systems Summit +4, and COP30. Featuring diverse perspectives from small-scale actors, researchers, funders, and policy experts, this panel will explore key opportunities for progress in global dialogues on oceans, food systems, and climate. The discussion will be followed by an Aquatic Blue Food Coalition networking event.

Foreign Policy‘s hit fisheries podcast The Catch is headed to the United Nations Ocean Conference! Join us for a special live taping, in partnership with the Walton Family Foundation and Ocean Conservancy, to kick off our upcoming season on tuna in the Pacific Islands.

Since the last UN Ocean Conference, champions from government, finance institutions, cooperatives, academia, and civil society have accelerated action on aquatic blue foods for nutritious, equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient food systems. These actions have supported 9 of the 17 SDGs, including SDG14.

Co-chaired by two ministers, this side event highlights progress and new commitments, showcasing leadership by government representatives from Iceland, Norway, Madagascar, and other champions. It spotlights research and advocacy efforts to advance sustainable blue foods in the context of climate change. The session will also officially launch an inaugural financial investment by the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition to support the integration of aquatic foods into national priorities.

Organizing partners: Government of Iceland; Peter Thomson, UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean; European Union; Government of Japan; Government of Madagascar; Government of Ghana, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Government of Canada; Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Federal Government of Germany; Government of Norway; Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Government of Indonesia; Department of Agriculture, Government of the Philippines; Aquatic Blue Food Coalition; School Meals Coalition; Global Action Network Food from the Oceans and Inland Waters for Food Security and Nutrition; Environmental Defense Fund; Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions; Oceana; African Union Development Agency); CARE; WorldFish; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Global Seaweed Coalition; European Bureau for Conservation and Development; UN Climate Change High-Level Champions; Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action – Ocean Breakthrough; African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network (Awfishnet Nigeria Chapter); Sophia University Island Sustainability Institute; Institut de Recherche pour le Développement; Marine Stewardship Council; Monterey Bay Aquarium; World Resource Institute; Rare; Meridian Institute; Walton Family Foundation; Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; Foundation Erol; Builders Vision; World Economic Forum

In 2022, the United Nations recognized that there is a human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Yet, globally the health and sustainability of the ocean environment and the human rights of coastal populations are being increasingly threatened by climate change, pollution, overexploitation of resources, and destructive ocean development. This session will highlight the vital role of ocean defenders and their allied organizations in protecting marine ecosystems and safeguarding human rights. Participants will hear directly from ocean defenders about their struggles, resistance efforts, and hopes for the future. Following their testimonies, representatives from allied organizations will share how they support ocean defenders by providing resources, capacity-building, and amplifying their voices. Speakers will include ocean defenders and allies from diverse backgrounds, offering a broad perspective on the challenges and solutions in this space. Our goal is to raise awareness of the crucial work ocean defenders do while fostering stronger collaborations among those committed to supporting them. Through this dialogue, we aim to strengthen networks, enhance visibility, and inspire collective action.

The Side Event addresses marine pollution, focusing on petrostates’ activities in regions like Nigeria, where oil pollution and habitat destruction have reduced mangroves by 40% and caused coral bleaching, threatening biodiversity and public health. Increased diseases like malaria and cholera highlight the urgency. Key stakeholders, policymakers and NGOs will discuss integrating blue economy principles into health and climate policies. Strategies include climate-resilient healthcare, sustainable resource management, and eco-tourism. The event aims to improve health outcomes and preserve marine ecosystems through multistakeholder collaborative action, of which the actors connected to the IMO NZF are chief.

This session marks the official launch of the UN Taskforce on Seaweed—an initiative bringing together partners to unlock the potential of seaweed for sustainable food systems, climate resilience, and coastal livelihoods. Seaweed stands at the intersection of nutrition, environmental sustainability, and economic opportunity, especially for developing coastal nations. The Taskforce aims to foster coordinated action across trade, investment, science, and policy to scale up sustainable seaweed value chains.