Ocean & Climate Justice
Supporting legal responses to the interconnected impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems, coastal communities and future generations
In the period leading into COP31, there is a growing political momentum for Ocean-based climate action. At the same time, evolving international climate and Ocean governance framework underscore the importance of coherence between national commitments and implementation pathways. Recent advisory opinions from the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on States’ obligations in relation to climate change have clarified and strengthened the international legal duties to protect the marine environment from climate harm. These landmark developments reinforce that climate change mitigation and adaptation measures relating to the Ocean are not solely matters of policy discretion but increasingly engage binding international legal obligations.
Ocean & Climate Justice
The intersection of Ocean and Climate Justice is becoming increasingly critical as the impacts of climate change intensify. Coastal communities and marine ecosystems are on the front lines, facing challenges such as rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and biodiversity loss. These issues not only threaten the livelihoods of those who depend on the Ocean but also raise significant legal and ethical questions about the responsibilities of states and the rights of affected communities.
Low-lying nations (such as Tuvalu, Kiribati or Vanuatu) face existential threats. If rising seas swallow their land, their citizens will be forced to leave their homeland, raising unprecedented questions about statehood, maritime boundaries, and legal status under international law.
As mangrove forests and seagrass meadows are commodified for global carbon offset markets, local communities risk losing access to their coastal territories to foreign corporations—a process known as blue "green-grabbing."
When governments rush to meet international deadlines (like the UN's 30x30 target), they sometimes establish strict "no-take" Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) over traditional waters. This can ban small-scale local fishers while failing to stop the industrial fleets operating just outside the borders.
What we're doing
We are advancing an initiative to strengthen the legal quality, coherence and implementability of Ocean-based climate commitments within Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. As recognition grows of the Ocean’s role in mitigation and adaptation, there is increasing interest in reflecting Ocean-based measures within national climate commitments. However, many such references remain high level or aspirational, without clear legal grounding, institutional allocation of responsibility or implementation pathways. We seek to provide targeted legal analysis, model drafting language and strategic advisory support to assist States in translating Ocean ambition into legally precise and operational NDC commitments (Blue NDCs), aligned with national legal systems and governance structures.
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Support Our Work
The Ocean needs more than awareness. It needs accountability. Your support helps advance strategic legal action, achieve strengthen Ocean Rights and support Ocean-dependent and Indigenous communities working to protect the ecosystems they know best. Together, we can help turn legal obligation into lasting Ocean protection.
