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Our Ocean 2026

Mobilizing concrete actions for a sustainable and healthy ocean

The Our Ocean Conference continues to be one of the most important global platforms to mobilize concrete commitments to address the main threats our ocean is facing. The 11th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) will be held from June 16-18, 2026, in Mombasa, Kenya.

As at pervious conferences, this year’s OOC will address six areas of action, including marine pollution, climate change, marine protected areas (MPAs), maritime security, sustainable blue economies and sustainable fisheries.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future”, and will focus on the essential role that the ocean plays in shaping culture, communities and livelihoods, and will help move the ocean agenda from dialogue to delivery, placing jobs, equity and healthy oceans at the center of international cooperation.

The organizers expect the OOC will:

    • Engage the private sector and deliver investment in the sustainable blue economy

    • Empower and elevate young ocean leaders

    • Catalyze ocean finance

    • Collaboratively combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU)

    • Advance marine conservation and restoration efforts that deliver on both climate and 30×30 goals

Ocean Conservancy’s conservation priorities

    • Ocean Conservancy’s biodiversity team will launch the Mesopelagic Zone Conservation Challenge, serving as a public kickoff for the core coalition of champion countries committed to conservation of the “ocean twilight zone”.

    • The climate program will advance ocean-climate diplomacy and ocean-based climate solutions by building momentum in Africa for blue finance, responsible offshore renewable energy and pathways toward a fossil-free ocean. The program will also co-launch a report with the Global Offshore Wind Alliance and Zero Carbon Analytics on the economic opportunities of offshore renewables in Africa.

    • The Global Ghost Gear Initiative® will continue to elevate and advance abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) diplomacy, highlighting the urgent need for action from international policy governance (such as the global plastics treaty and the International Maritime Organization), through to local activities. Showcasing community-driven examples from African partners, GGGI will demonstrate practical examples to effectively prevent, mitigate and remediate the occurrence and impacts of ALDFG—the most harmful form of marine plastic pollution.

Core delegation

Members of Ocean Conservancy’s leadership, climate, biodiversity, GGGI and international government relations teams will be on the ground for the conference. Our delegation includes:

    • Climate: Shamini Selvaratnam, Director, International Climate and Clean Energy

    • International Government Relations: Luis Estévez-Salmerón, Associate Director, International Government Relations

Side and events on the margins

Title: From Twilight to Spotlight: Protecting the Mesopelagic Zone for Ocean Health, Food Security, Biodiversity, and Climate Stability

Organizer(s): Ocean Conservancy, Government of Panama, Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Marine Conservation Institute (MCI), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)

Date: June 16, 2026

Time: 2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Location: PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa

Event Description: The side event “From Twilight to Spotlight” will launch the Mesopelagic Zone Conservation Challenge at the 2026 Our Ocean Conference, bringing together government leaders and civil society organizations to address an emerging ocean conservation priority. The mesopelagic zone – the ocean layer 200 to 1,000 meters below the surface – contains only 20% of the ocean’s volume yet holds an estimated 90% of its fish biomass. This critical ecosystem sustains marine food webs, supports unique biodiversity, and plays an essential role in climate regulation by sequestering an estimated 2-6 gigatons of carbon annually through the biological carbon pump, roughly double the emissions of all cars worldwide. The event responds to mounting pressures on this ecosystem, including expanding demand for aquaculture products and health supplements driving interest in exploiting mesopelagic species like lanternfish, as well as climate change impacts such as warming waters and deoxygenation. High-level representatives from champion governments will formally sign a Charter committing to conserving this important area, The Charter will include pledges to: apply a precautionary approach to activities that could impact the zone, advance scientific research to fill knowledge gaps, establish robust management frameworks for potential resource use, and advocate for international safeguards. The Davos-style program will feature interactive dialogue among ministers, scientists, and youth on accelerating coordinated action aligned with broader goals including 30×30, the BBNJ Agreement, sustainable fishery, global biodiversity and climate commitments.

Speaking: Chris Dorsett, Vice President, Conservation

Title: Scaling Ocean-Climate Action at COP31: From Dialogue to Delivery through Blue NDCs and Finance Reform

Organizers: Government of Belgium, Government of Brazil, Government of Fiji, Government of France, Ocean & Climate Platform, Ocean Conservancy, WWF-Brazil, World Resources Institute, UNFCCC Secretariat, and Ankara University

Date: June 18, 2026

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

Location: PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa

Event Description: The ocean–climate nexus has become central to the implementation of the Climate Convention and the Paris Agreement. Research shows that action across seven ocean sectors — from conservation to renewable energy to shipping — could provide over a third of the emissions cuts needed to reach global climate goals, while also supporting jobs, health and economic growth. Through the UNFCCC Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue, Parties and observers have advanced technical and policy discussions on strengthening ocean-based mitigation, adaptation, and resilience action across these sectors. Simultaneously, the Blue NDC Challenge has catalyzed national ambition by encouraging countries to integrate ocean-based climate solutions into updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). COP31, hosted by Türkiye later this year, arrives at a critical moment, with a focus on translating ambition into local action. The discussion will highlight how investing in and increasing access to climate finance for ocean-climate solutions can deliver on cross-sector investment, workforce development, and national implementation goals. The side event will offer a readout of the 2026 Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue discussions, preview the launch of the Blue NDC Implementation Taskforce, and showcase practical implementation examples from Türkiye, Australia, Fiji, Belgium, Brazil, and other partners. Special attention will be given to opportunities on the road to COP31 linked to the Standing Committee on Finance draft guidance, the 2026 SCF Forum, and the Pacific Pre-COP process. By bringing together governments, scientific institutions, civil society, and ocean-dependent communities, the event will create a strategic bridge between policy ambition, finance reform, and local action to accelerate delivery of ocean-climate solutions.

Speaking: N/A

Title: Pathways for a fossil-free ocean: The move away from offshore fossil fuels to offshore wind energy as a sustainable solution

Organizers: Center for International Environmental Law, Global Offshore Wind Alliance, and Ocean Conservancy

Date: June 17, 2026

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.

Location: PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa

Event Description: At the 11th Our Ocean Conference 2026, under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future,” this side event will present a solutions-oriented narrative on the ocean’s central role in the global energy transition. It will focus on moving from the urgent need fora fossil-free ocean to the opportunity of scaling responsible offshore wind. This session will offer a connected pathway for sustainable ocean-based renewable energy transition. From addressing the risks and legacy of offshore fossil fuels to unlocking the opportunities of sustainable ocean-based renewable energy. The session will examine why phasing out offshore fossil fuels is essential not only for climate mitigation but also for protecting marine ecosystems, safeguarding coastal livelihoods, and upholding human rights. Offshore wind offers African coastal and island states a scalable ocean-based clean energy solution that can support energy security and sovereignty, development, and long-term decarbonisation while aligning with broader ocean-climate goals. By bridging climate action, ocean protection, energy governance and communities, the event aims to translate ambition into actionable strategies, strengthen political momentum, and position ocean leadership at the heart of a just, fair, funded, and orderly global energy transition.

Speaking: Shamini Selvaratnam, Director, International Climate and Clean Energy

Title: Towards UNOC-4: Strengthening Regional Action on Marine Plastic Pollution through the Regional Seas Programme in the Western Indian Ocean and East Asian Seas Regions

Organizers: Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (UNEP/COBSEA)

Date: June 17, 2026

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.

Location: PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa Mombasa

Event Description: The side event will showcase how regional frameworks, research, technical expertise and multi-stakeholder partnerships can advance practical solutions across the source-to-sea continuum, from plastic waste prevention and city-level action to improved management of sea-based sources, including ALDFG. The side event aims to:

    • Highlight regional experiences from UNEP Regional Seas, including COBSEA and the Nairobi Convention;

    • Demonstrate how regional action plans, such as RAP MALI, support implementation of global commitments at national and sub-national levels;

    • Share practical approaches from research institutions and implementation partners, including on sea-based source management, ALDFG prevention and management, and city-level plastic reduction;

    • Promote South-South exchange, peer learning and scalable partnerships that can inform regional action and contribute to a pipeline of solutions toward UNOC-4.

Speaking: Chris Dorsett, Vice President, Conservation

Title: Roundtable: Taking Stock and Accelerating Delivery: Ocean Renewable Energy

Organizers: Ocean Conservancy

Date: June 15, 2026

Time: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Location: Serena Beach Resort & Spa

Event Description: At COP30, the ocean was centre stage, embodied by the Blue Package, a set of commitments and framework designed to accelerate and scale up ocean-climate solutions by 2028. The Blue Package is guided by the Ocean Breakthroughs, science-based targets for 2030, that span five key sectors, marine conservation, aquatic food, renewable energy, shipping and tourism, to deliver real progress. This roundtable is being gathered on the margins of Our Ocean to take stock of the progress made under the Ocean Renewable Energy Breakthrough. As momentum grows globally around offshore renewable energy and sustainable ocean economies, there is increasing recognition that implementation now requires stronger coordination across climate, ocean, finance, biodiversity, and energy systems. The roundtable will share the key findings from a new report on the economic opportunities of offshore renewables in Africa.  Against a backdrop of increasing global attention to the implementation of the energy transition, the roundtable will focus on practical pathways to accelerate responsible offshore renewable energy deployment that are environmentally sound, socially equitable, financially accessible, and aligned with sustainable ocean planning.

Speaking: Shamini Selvaratnam, Director, International Climate and Clean Energy