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COP26 Ocean Panel Expert Statement - Scientific Call for Ocean-based Action to
Tackle the Climate Crisis

Cover Page · November 2021

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 Scientific Call for Ocean-based Action to Tackle the Climate Crisis

We are experts from ocean related disciplines from all regions and ocean basins of the world,
convened under the auspices of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.

We are deeply alarmed by the conclusions of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report and the impact that
anthropogenic climate change is having on the health of our ocean and ocean-dependent
communities.

Urgent action is required to safeguard the ocean’s critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate,
feeding billions of people and driving the world’s economy.

For too long the ocean has been relegated to being the victim of climate change. This view ignores the
existence of a host of ocean-based solutions - both natural and technological – that are underpinned
by science and able to support global mitigation and adaptation efforts.

As scientific understanding of the ocean has increased, its central role in improving the health, wealth
and well-being of people has become clearer. The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable
Development can be a catalyst for identifying and meeting the most urgent ocean knowledge needs to
unlock even greater innovation and opportunity to respond to the climate crisis.

The climate crisis is too urgent to continue to discount the range of measures and innovations found
within the ocean and ocean economy. We must utilise every part of our economy to tackle climate
change.

We call on all Parties to the UNFCCC to:

• Incorporate ocean-based measures in mitigation and adaptation strategies, plans and policies,
taking into account the best available science and ensuring sustainability.

• Account for all ocean-based sources and sinks in national inventories and accounting frameworks
in accordance with IPCC guidance, including the 2013 IPCC Wetlands Supplement.

• Commit to sustainably manage 100% of the ocean area under national jurisdiction and protect
30% of the ocean by 2030 to build the resilience of our oceans and ocean-dependent communities
and harness ocean-based mitigation opportunities.

• Increase investment in ocean science capacity to fill data gaps and digitise information on ocean-
based sources and sinks, including coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangroves,
seagrasses, coral reefs, salt marshes and kelp.

Signed

Dedi S. Adhuri Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali Dr. Diva Amon

Research Centre for Society and Centre for Maritime Law and SpeSeas, Trinidad and Tobago
Culture, National Research and Security Africa, Ghana
Innovation Agency, Indonesia Kwasi Appeaning Addo
Edward H. Allison University of Ghana, Ghana
WorldFish, Malaysia
Ward Appeltans Dr. Thierry Chopin Christopher Free
Intergovernmental Seaweed and Integrated Multi- University of California Santa
Oceanographic Commission of Trophic Aquaculture Laboratory, Barbara, USA
UNESCO, Belgium University of New Brunswick;
Chopin Coastal Health Steven Gaines
Zainal Arifin Solutions Inc., Canada University of California Santa
Indonesia Institute of Sciences, Barbara, USA
Indonesia Joachim Claudet
Centre National de la Recherche Elsa Galarza
Sophie Arnaud-Haond Scientifique, France Universidad del Pacífico, Peru
Marine Biodiversity,
Exploitation and Duncan Copeland Stefan Gelcich
Conservation, University of Trygg Mat Tracking, Norway Instituto Milenio en Socio-
Montpellier; Institut Français de Ecologia Costera; Center of
Recherche pour l'Exploitation de Professor Christopher Costello Applied Ecology and
la Mer; Centre National de la University of California Santa Sustainability, Pontificia
Recherche Scientifique; Instiut Barbara, USA Universidad Catolica de Chile,
de Recherche pour le Chile
Développement, France Philippe Cury
Institut de Recherche pour le Christopher Golden
Dra. Inés Arroyo-Quiroz Développement, France Department of Nutrition,
Centro Regional de Harvard T.H. Chan School of
Investigaciones Dr. Minhan Dai Public Health, USA
Multidisciplinarias, Xiamen University, China
Universidad Nacional Kristine Grimsrud, Ph.D
Autónoma de México, Mexico Helen Ding Research Department,
World Resources Institute, The Statistics Norway, Norway
Lisa T. Ballance, Ph.D Netherlands
Oregon State University, USA Professor Patrick N. Halpin,
Carlos M. Duarte Ph.D
Dominique Benzaken Red Sea Research Center and Nicholas School of the
Australian National Centre for Computational Biosciences Environment and Duke Marine
Ocean Resources and Security, Research Center, King Abdullah Lab, Duke University, USA
University of Wollongong, University of Science
Australia and Technology, Kingdom of Britta Denise Hardesty
Saudi Arabia Commonwealth Scientific and
Dr. Wiebren J. Boonstra Industrial Research
Natural Resources and Brajesh Kumar Dubey, Ph.D Organisation, Australia
Sustainable Development, Department of Civil
Department of Earth Science, Engineering, Indian Institute of Peter M. Haugan, Ph.D
Uppsala University, Sweden Technology Kharagpur, India Institute of Marine Research,
University of Bergen, Norway
Rodrigo H. Bustamante Elva Escobar-Briones
Commonwealth Scientific and Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Gakushi Ishimura
Industrial Research Limnología Ciudad Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate
Organisation, Australia Universitaria, Universidad University, Japan
Nacional Autónoma de México,
Reniel Cabral Mexico Dr. Jenna Jambeck
University of California Santa University of Georgia, USA
Barbara, USA Dr. Katharina Fabricius
Australian Institute of Marine Professor Marcel Jaspars
Adelino V.M. Canário Science, Australia University of Aberdeen, UK
Centre of Marine Sciences,
University of Algarve, Portugal Fabio Favoretto Svein Jentoft
Centro para la Biodiversidad Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries
Ling Cao Marina y la Conservación, A.C.; and Economics, The Artic
School of Oceanography, Universidad Autónoma de Baja University of Norway, Norway
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, California Sur, Mexico
China Dr. James Kairo
Kenya Marine and Fisheries
Research institute, Kenya
Dorte Krause-Jensen Professor Karyn Morrissey Gabriel Reygondeau
Department Ecoscience and Department of Technology, Changing Ocean Research Unit,
Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus Management and Economics Institute for the Oceans and
University, Denmark Sustainability Division, Fisheries, University of British
Technical University of Columbia, Canada
Joy A. Kumagai Denmark, Denmark
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Professor Callum Roberts
Climate Research Center, Umi Muawanah, Ph.D Centre for Ecology and
Germany The Agency for Marine Affairs Conservation, University of
and Fisheries Research, Exeter, UK
Jim Leape Indonesia
Stanford Center for Ocean Bangabandhu Chair Professor
Solutions, USA Mari Myksvoll Joyashree Roy
Institute of Marine Research, School of Resource,
Amanda Leland Norway Environment and Development
Environmental Defense Fund, Asian Institute of Technology,
USA Aidin Niamir Thailand; Jadavpur University,
Senckenberg Biodiversity and India
Lisa A. Levin Climate Research Institute,
Scripps Institution of Germany Tanya Brodie Rudolph
Oceanography, University of Centre for Sustainability
California San Diego, USA Finn Gunnar Nielsen Transitions, Stellenbosch
Geophysical Institute and University, South Africa
Dr. Elizabeth Lindstad Bergen Offshore Wind Centre,
SINTEF Ocean, Norway University of Bergen, Norway Dr. Hide Sakaguchi
Ocean Policy Research Institute,
Tony Long Eliza Northrop Sasakawa Peace Foundation,
Global Fishing Watch, USA World Resources Institute, UK Japan

Priscila F.M. Lopes David Obura Dr. Megan Saunders

Fishing Ecology, Management CORDIO, Kenya Commonwealth Scientific and
and Economics Group, Industrial Research
Universidade Federal do Rio Elena Ojea Organisation, Australia
Grande do Norte, Brazil Future Oceans Lab, Centro de
Investigación Mariña, Dr. Andy Steven
Catherine E. Lovelock Universidade de Vigo, Spain Commonwealth Scientific and
The University of Queensland, Industrial Research
Australia Dr. Bethan O’Leary Organisation, Australia
University of Exeter, UK
Ms. Sarika Maharaj Martin Stuchtey
Fisheries Division of the Ayodeji Olukoju, Ph.D SYSTEMIQ, Germany
Ministry of Agriculture, Land University of Lagos, Nigeria
and Fisheries, Trinidad and Rashid Sumaila
Tobago Dr. Robert Parker Fisheries Economics Research
GHG Emissions, Aquaculture Unit, University of British
Dr. Michael Melnychuk Stewardship Council, The Columbia, Canada
School of Aquatic and Fishery Netherlands
Sciences, University of Albert G.J. Tacon, Ph.D
Washington, USA Dr. Karen Raubenheimer Aquahana LLC, Honolulu, USA
Australian National Centre for
Marie Antonette J. Meñez Ocean Resources and Security, Louise Teh
Marine Science Institute, University of Wollongong, Institute for the Oceans and
University of the Philippines, Australia Fisheries, University of British
The Philippines Columbia, Canada
Budy P. Resosudarmo
Mark Michelin Australian National University, Torsten Thiele
CEA Consulting, USA Australia Global Ocean Trust, Germany
 Associate Professor Dr. To Thi Emma Witbooi
Hien Department of Public Law,
Faculty of Environment, Nelson Mandela University,
University of Science, Vietnam South Africa
National University, Ho Chi
Minh City, Vietnam Professor Rachel Wynberg
Department of Environmental
Steven Trent and Geographical Science,
Environmental Justice University of Cape Town, South
Foundation, UK Africa

Amy Trice Junjie Zhang

Ocean Conservancy, USA Nicholas School of the
Environment, Duke University;
Sebastian Unger Environmental Research Center,
Ocean Governance Research Duke Kunshan University, China
Group, Institute for Advanced
Sustainability Studies, Germany

Professor Hennie Van As

Nelson Mandela University,
South Africa; Australian
National Centre for Ocean
Resources and Security;
University of Wollongong,
Australia

Enriqueta Velarde
Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y
Pesquerías, Universidad
Veracruzana, Mexico

Adrien Vincent
SYSTEMIQ, France

Vu Thanh Ca
Faculty of Environment, Ha Noi
University of Natural Resources
and Environment, Vietnam

Dr. Melissa Walsh

Marine Conservation Finance
Consulting, Australia

Sandra Whitehouse
Ocean Conservancy
(Consultant), USA

Chris Wilcox
Oceans and Atmosphere
Business Unit, Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial
Research Organisation,
Australia

Jan-Gunnar Winther
Centre for the Ocean and the
Arctic, Norway

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