At the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, five new governments, including the Dominican Republic and Mexico, signed the High-Level Climate-Resilient Coral Reef Commitment, the first global pledge to protect the world’s climate-resilient coral reefs — reefs with the greatest potential to survive climate change and serve as the foundation for future reef recovery. Altogether, 20 countries have signed the commitment.
Coral reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems on Earth. They cover less than 0.1 percent of the ocean floor yet support around 25 percent of all marine life, generate up to $2.7 trillion each year in ecosystem services, and underpin the food security, livelihoods, and coastal protection of nearly one billion people. Despite their importance, only 28 percent of identified climate-resilient reefs currently fall within protected or conserved areas — underscoring the urgency of the growing coalition.
By signing, governments commit to identifying and prioritizing climate-resilient coral reefs in national policies and 30×30 planning, integrating reef protection into national biodiversity and climate frameworks, reducing local pressures like water pollution and destructive fishing, implementing national reef monitoring and action plans, and ensuring community leadership and local knowledge underpin their action for corals.
At the same conference in Mombasa, the Women Ocean Guardians coalition announced its expansion into Africa, as 26 women from 11 African nations were joined by women leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean, the founding hub of the Women Ocean Guardians, standing in solidarity.
“Women Ocean Guardians is about recognizing that inclusive ocean governance is not an option — it is a necessity,” said Pamela Castillo, director of the Marine 30×30 program at Wildlife Conservation Society. “It is about understanding that the knowledge, leadership, resilience, and innovation of women are among the most powerful yet underutilized forces for ocean conservation. And it is about ensuring that the women who have protected these ecosystems for generations are no longer seen as beneficiaries of change, but as architects of it.”
womenoceanguardians.org
