The future of our ocean: What to look out for at this year’s United Nations General Assembly

It’s that time of the year again! Each year, in September, the United Nations General Assembly brings together world leaders, policymakers, and civil society at the UN Headquarters in New York City to advance global cooperation on the world’s most pressing issues.?As this year’s session of the U.N. General Assembly kicks off, here are some of the key moments to look out for when it comes to multilateral action to protect and restore our ocean.?

20-21 September: Action Days of the Summit for the Future

The first Action Day of the Summit for the Future is convened under the theme #YouthLead for the Future: We believe in the promise of a better world for all. This day provides an opportunity for young people to be at the heart of the global conversation about our planet’s future.?

Since its launch in 2021, the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (‘Ocean Decade’) strives to empower the next generation of ocean leaders. Under the leadership of H2OO: Heirs To Our Ocean , a Decade Implementing Partner, young people from across the world have the opportunity to meaningfully take part in global ocean action.

22-23 September: Summit for the Future

At the Summit of the Future, Heads of State and Government will adopt the Pact for the Future to commit to a series of actions to deliver a better present and safeguard the future. This Pact provides an opportunity for world leaders to reassert the importance of science-based policymaking and to commit to ambitious ocean action on the road to the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (9-13 June, Nice, France).

Based on the third revision of the draft Pact – the latest available draft at the time of writing – the Pact is expected to include:?

• A recognition that "advances in knowledge and science are key to delivering a breakthrough to a better and more sustainable future for all"
• A commitment to take "ambitious action to improve the health, productivity, sustainable use and resilience of the ocean and their ecosystems"
• A commitment to "accelerate efforts to address the pollution of air, land and soil, freshwater and the ocean, including the sound management of chemicals, and work towards the conclusion of an ambitious international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, by the end of 2024"

The full text of the Pact is expected to be published on 23 September at this link.

Various events will also be happening on the sidelines of the Summit of the Future. Peace Boat US, a key partner of the Ocean Decade, will co-organize on 23 September a side-event focused on engagement and empowerment for ocean and climate action for youth, in particular from Small Island Developing States (SIDS).?

25 September: High-level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise

As the first-ever UN General Assembly meeting on this issue, the High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise is expected to be one of the key moments of this year’s General Assembly. It comes on the heels of the UN Secretary-General's global SOS – Save our Seas call, which he issued from Tonga in the Pacific, where he witnessed first-hand the devastating impacts of sea-level rise on people’s lives and livelihoods.?

UNESCO’s 2024 State of the Ocean Report found that the rate of rising has doubled over the past 30 years. While this is an issue that affects every continent and region, low-lying countries and SIDS are particularly exposed to the threats posed by sea-level rise, with many Pacific SIDS already experiencing loss of human life and significant economic damages from tropical cyclones and increases in sea-level rise.?

Several initiatives carried out as part of the Ocean Decade address this major issue. From improving the global forecasting capability for the ocean and climate with the Ocean to Climate Seamless Forecasting System programme to facilitating the development of adaptation solutions for coastal cities with Sea’ties, scientists and experts across the world are seeking to enhance our understanding of sea-level rise, to improve the way it is tracked and monitored, and to develop solutions to mitigate its devastating impacts.?

The High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise will convene global leaders, experts, and stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions and actionable commitments to addressing the threats posed by sea-level rise.?

In parallel to the plenary segment, four multi-stakeholder thematic panel discussions will focus on key aspects of this complex topic:

• “Knowledge, data, and science to inform sea-level rise risk assessments and decision making”
• “Adaptation, finance, and resilience in relation to sea-level rise”
• “Livelihoods, socio-economic challenges, and culture and heritage in relation to sea-level rise”
• “Sea-level rise and its legal dimensions”

Find the full programme here.

24-28 September and 30 September: General Debate

Happening every year during the UN. General Assembly, the General Debate is the opportunity for Heads of State and Government to come together at the UN Headquarters and discuss world issues. This year, the theme of the General Debate will be: “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations”.?

With the High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise happening as a key side-event during the General Debate, it is expected that this topic will feature prominently in discussions. Norway, a long-standing and essential partner of the Ocean Decade, has made the ocean one of its priorities for this year’s General Debate, and will highlight the urgent need to support knowledge-based ocean management and the Ocean Decade to deliver the science we need for the ocean we want.

Learn more about the Ocean Decade: www.oceandecade.org