Key Points

The Blue Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Challenge calls on all countries to place the ocean at the heart of their climate plans ahead of UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) which Brazil will host in November this year.

Alongside Brazil and France, an inaugural group of eight countries -- Australia, Fiji, Kenya, Mexico, Palau, and Seychelles -- has already joined the initiative, committing to include the ocean in their updated climate plans under the Paris Agreement.

These plans represent the centerpiece of each country's efforts to reduce emissions and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build resilience, and represent the highest level of political will under the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Launched on Monday, and building on the momentum this year brings as countries prepare to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the Blue NDC Challenge underscores the urgent need to recognise the ocean's central role in addressing the climate crisis as a key ally.

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) and has been endorsed by WWF-Brazil.

In addition to its forests, Brazil is also an oceanic nation, with 40 per cent of its territory located at sea and hosting marine ecosystems of global significance -- including the only coral reefs in the South Atlantic and the world's largest contiguous mangrove belt along the Amazon coast.

These ecosystems play a vital role in both climate adaptation and mitigation, serving as natural buffers against extreme weather events and contributing to carbon storage.

"For Brazil, the Blue NDC Challenge represents a key opportunity to strengthen ocean-related climate action and to emphasise the essential role of ocean-based solutions in achieving emission reduction targets. Through this initiative Brazil seeks to advance international cooperation on ocean climate action in the lead-up to COP30, and to underscore the need for all countries to fully integrate the ocean into their national climate strategies," said Marina Silva, Brazil Minister for the Environment and Climate Change.

"In its recently submitted NDC, Brazil has explicitly included, for the first time, ocean-based climate actions, recognising the ocean's critical role in climate regulation. These include the implementation of national Marine Spatial Planning, the enhancement of coastal zone management, and the establishment of programs for the conservation and restoration of mangroves and coral reefs," she noted.

Governments joining the Blue NDCs Challenge commit to stepping up efforts to reduce emissions and build resilience through ocean-based solutions, while also delivering benefits for both nature and people.

Under the leadership of the governments of Brazil and France, eight inaugural countries spanning the globe committed to include ocean action in their national climate plans.

"Ultimately, industrial marine sectors and natural ecosystems are underused tools in addressing climate change and other development needs. As world leaders gather in Nice and prepare for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belem (COP30), they can take inspiration from the Seychelles in championing ocean-based climate action," said Wavel Ramkalawan, the President of Seychelles.

"We are pleased to join the Blue NDC Challenge and work alongside COP30 host, Brazil, as well as France, Fiji, Seychelles, Mexico, Palau to highlight the vital role of the ocean in global efforts on climate change," said Senator Murray Watt, Australia's Environment Minister.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

- IANS