Chile, in its role as the Presidency of the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) to the UNFCCC, launched the Platform for Science-Based Ocean Solutions (PSBOS). The Platform aims to promote the necessity of addressing ocean and climate issues synergistically and to encourage the incorporation of the ocean in country climate commitments and strategies.

The Platform concept note outlines the impacts of climate change on the ocean, and highlights potential marine nature-based solutions. The concept note highlights the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC), which warned that the climate impacts on the ocean “are already significant and will be increasingly dangerous” without urgent mitigation and adaptation actions.

The concept note further states that through the ‘Because the Ocean’ Declaration, Chile and many other countries have promoted the inclusion of ocean solutions as part of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Within this context, Chile is promoting COP 25 as an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of including an ocean component in climate action, declaring COP 25 as the ‘Blue COP.’

This is the first time we’ve positioned the study, protection and sustainable management of oceans within a major climate action conference.

COP 25 President Carolina Schmidt, Minister of Environment, Chile, announced the Platform at a high-level event on the margins of the conference, on 3 December 2019. She said Chile has “named COP 25 the ‘Blue COP’ because for the first time we’ve positioned the study, protection and sustainable management of oceans within a major climate action conference.” She said the Platform aims to be a dynamic space that brings together key methodologies and tools to incorporate oceans into countries’ NDCs and other climate policies.

The Platform will encourage and guide implementation of policies, programmes and projects to support evidence on climate change and its impact on the ocean, and will support the creation of a community of practice to share lessons learned, offer inspiration to support the transfer and uptake of solutions in other contexts and advance ocean-climate action. The Platform also seeks to engage a large number of actors in ocean-climate action, including the public and private sectors, civil society and academia.

COP 25 will feature several additional discussions and events on the importance of protecting the ocean. The Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (NWP) has facilitated a group of experts who are consolidating knowledge and learning on climate change and ocean linkages into a scoping paper that will identify knowledge gaps and needed actions. The paper will be presented at an interactive Focal Point Forum on 6 December, which aims to encourage the co-design of climate-ocean actions and mobilize support for implementing identified actions in 2020. [PSBOS Concept Note] [Government of Chile Press Release] [UNFCCC Press Release on COP 25 Ocean Events] [IISD RS Coverage of COP 25]