A surge of ocean leadership: Friends of Ocean Action outline roadmap ahead of the Third UN Ocean Conference

  • Friends of Ocean Action welcome nine new members to the 2024 cohort, bringing its total membership to 86 since launching in 2018.
  • Hosted by the World Economic Forum, Friends of Ocean Action is a multi-stakeholder community of ocean leaders pioneering solutions to the most pressing challenges related to the ocean.
  • The group convened in New York to focus on developing synergies across diverse ocean topics and accelerating action to bring it all together for the ocean ahead of the Third UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.

New York, 23 September 2024 – Nine new members have been announced as joining the Friends of Ocean Action – a community of ocean leaders fast-tracking solutions to some of the most pressing challenges related to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water.

Led by co-chairs Peter Thomson, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, and Isabella Lövin, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden and Member of the European Parliament, Friends of Ocean Action has created platforms and helped launch global initiatives advancing ocean action, ranging from the Global Plastic Action Partnership and Global Tuna Alliance, to the Getting to Zero Coalition and Blue Food Partnership.

“Our ocean action work has become more vital than ever. This next year, and following 2030, we must put the future first by multiplying our efforts to ensure a healthy and resilient ocean. To do so, we must control greenhouse gas emissions, stop plastic and chemical pollution, cease harmful fisheries practices, and protect marine biodiversity. The Friends of Ocean Action are uniquely placed to advance this action. Over the next eight months we have some strategic opportunities to mobilize unprecedented ocean action. It's time to bring it all together for the ocean,” said Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean, and co-chair of Friends of Ocean Action.

Friends of Ocean Action is delighted to welcome the following global ocean leaders as new members of its community that now comprises 86 members from business, civil society, academia and the public sector representing 41 countries

“We’re thrilled to welcome exceptional, passionate, and visionary leaders to the Friends of Ocean Action. Their expertise and passion are essential to our mission of accelerating bold, scalable solutions to the ocean’s most urgent challenges,” said Alfredo Giron, Head of Ocean at the World Economic Forum. “This year, our focus is on deepening collaboration and creating synergies across ocean-related priorities. A strong, diverse community of leaders is more crucial than ever to driving partnerships and fast-tracking ocean action.”

The Friends of Ocean Action convened on Sunday coinciding with New York Climate Week with a recommitment to demonstrate measurable progress on ocean health by the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in June 2025 in Nice, France.

Currently the Friends are focusing on synergies and partnerships to Bring it All Together for the ocean.

See the full list of members of Friends of Ocean Action.

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About Friends of Ocean Action

Friends of Ocean Action is the World Economic Forum’s multi-stakeholder community of global ocean leaders who work together to fast-track ambitious solutions for ocean health and a regenerative ocean economy. Launched in 2018 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Friends of Ocean Action creates platforms and initiatives that advance action for the Sustainable Development Goal for Life Below Water, SDG14.

About the Ocean Action Agenda

The World Economic Forum's Ocean Action Agenda creates innovative platforms at the nexus of science, business and policy and cultivates partnerships across business, government, academia and civil society to fast-track ambitious solutions for a sustainable ocean economy.

It convenes a wide range of stakeholders across sectors and communities, including the Friends of Ocean Action, the Blue Carbon Action Partnership, 1000 Ocean Startups, and Sector Transitions for Nature Positive.