17 countries, including France and Brazil, have joined the Blue NDC Challenge at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, to accelerate ocean-based climate actions.

Background

• Under the Paris Agreement (2015), countries submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce emissions and enhance climate resilience.
• Historically, climate policy focused on land and energy sectors, while oceans remained underrepresented despite their critical climate-regulating functions.
• The Blue NDC Challenge bridges this gap by mainstreaming ocean–climate solutions into national climate frameworks.

About Blue NDC Challenge

• The Blue NDC Challenge is a global initiative launched by France and Brazil in June 2025 at the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) in Nice, France,  which calls on countries to integrate ocean‑based climate solutions into their national climate plans (Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs).
• Institutional Support: The initiative is supported by Ocean Conservancy, the Ocean and Climate Platform, and the World Resources Institute, through the Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA).
• Participating Countries: 17 countries, including France, Brazil, and other nations such as Australia, Fiji, Kenya, Mexico, and Seychelles, have committed to including ocean-related measures in their climate plans.

About The Blue NDC Taskforce

• Purpose: The taskforce will mobilize political leadership, unlock finance, and expand technical support to ensure the successful implementation of ocean-based solutions.
• Core Focus: The Blue NDC Implementation Taskforce will help accelerate the integration of ocean-based solutions into national climate plans, linking ocean resilience to clean energy expansion, job creation, and coastal community development.

Role of Oceans in Tackling Climate Change

• Carbon Sink: Oceans act as a major carbon sink by absorbing nearly 30% of global carbon dioxide emissions, thereby lowering the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
• Heat Buffer: They take in more than 90% of the excess heat generated by global warming, helping to stabilise Earth’s temperature.
• Climate Regulation: Ocean currents shape global weather systems and climate patterns, making oceans a key driver of climate regulation.
• Natural Coastal Protection: Coastal and marine ecosystems serve as natural barriers against sea-level rise, storm surges, and extreme weather events.

Growing Global Momentum

• Integration into NDCs: 
  • 90% of countries now include ocean priorities in their NDCs, making ocean-based solutions a strategic pillar of climate ambition.
  • In the 2025 NDC update, 61 out of 66 countries incorporated ocean-based actions.
• Mitigation Potential: 
  • Ocean solutions can provide up to 35% of global emissions reductions required to stay within the 1.5°C target by 2050.

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Challenges and Gaps in Ocean Climate Action

• Adaptation vs. Mitigation: While adaptation dominates ocean actions in NDCs, mitigation actions such as offshore renewables, shipping decarbonization, and low-carbon aquatic food systems remain underrepresented.
• Finance Deficit: Despite the ocean’s potential, ocean-related climate finance accounts for less than 1% of global flows, underscoring a significant funding gap.

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