Friends of Ocean Action is an environmentalist group focusing on protecting the world’s oceans. The group is a joint venture between the World Economic Forum and the World Resources Institute. The group is an advocate for blocking human interaction with 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030. ¹

The group supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. ²

Background

The World Economic Forum and the World Resources Institute founded Friends of Ocean Action in January 2018 to advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for the world’s oceans. ³

Political Stances

Combating Plastic Pollution

In March 2022, Friends of Ocean Action supported an agreement at the United Nations Environment Assembly for nations to negotiate and sign an internationally binding treaty on combating plastic pollution. As of June 2024, the treaty is still undergoing negotiations. ⁴

In December 2023, the Philippines signed a treaty with the World Economic Forum and Friends of Ocean Action to combat plastic pollution and restore the blue carbon ecosystem. ⁵

Fishing

In June 2022, Friends of Ocean Action supported an effort by World Trade Organization member states to phase out what it calls harmful fishing subsidies which it claims encourages “illegal, unreported, and unregulated” fishing after two decades of talks. ⁶

Friends of Ocean Action supports the Port States Measures Agreement which combats illegal fishing by increasing inspections at ports of ships. The group pushes for more countries to sign up for the treaty so it is globally enforced. ⁷

Global Biodiversity Framework

In December 2022, Friends of Ocean Action helped countries draw up the Global Biodiversity Framework which had the goal of blocking human development in 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030. The group advocates the creation of marine protection areas with the goal of preventing a cascading of species’ extinctions. ⁸

High Seas Treaty

The Friends of Ocean Action advocates an agreement to secure the world’s oceans. In March 2023, the group helped resume the Fifth Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity Beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction and the conference drew up the High Seas Treaty after twenty years of discussions. The treaty is currently in the process of ratification. ⁹

Decarbonization Of Shipping

The Friends of Ocean Action, the World Economic Forum, and the Global Maritime Forum formed the Getting to Zero Coalition partnership and it concluded an agreement with the world’s major shipping companies to reach a zero-carbon-emission shipping fleet. The agreement calls on the world’s governments and shipping companies to commit to a carbon dioxide emission-free shipping fleet by 2050. The agreement also calls for government action and subsidies to support companies moving to zero-emission fuels and set clear targets for domestic shipping. The agreement also called on companies and governments to make zero-emission shipping the default choice by 2030. ¹⁰

Leadership

The Friends of Ocean Action co-chairs are Peter Thomson, the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, and Isabella Lovin, a former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden. ¹¹

Funding

Friends of Ocean Action is funded by Marc and Lynne Benioff as part of the Benioff Ocean Initiative at the University of California Santa Barbara and by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom. ¹²

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2. “Friends of Ocean Action.” World Resources Institute. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.wri.org/initiatives/friends-ocean-action.
3. “Friends of Ocean Action.” World Resources Institute. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.wri.org/initiatives/friends-ocean-action.
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5. “Ph Signs Blue Carbon, Plastic Actions Agreement with WEF.” Manila Bulletin, December 4, 2023. https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/4/ph-signs-blue-carbon-plastic-actions-agreement-with-wef-1.
6. “Taking Ocean Action from Commitment to Implementation: Friends of Ocean Action Call for Real Change for Ocean Health.” World Economic Forum. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/friends-of-ocean-action/taking-ocean-action-from-commitment-to-implementation-friends-of-ocean-action-call-for-real-change-for-ocean-health/.
7. “Taking Ocean Action from Commitment to Implementation: Friends of Ocean Action Call for Real Change for Ocean Health.” World Economic Forum. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/friends-of-ocean-action/taking-ocean-action-from-commitment-to-implementation-friends-of-ocean-action-call-for-real-change-for-ocean-health/.
8. “Taking Ocean Action from Commitment to Implementation: Friends of Ocean Action Call for Real Change for Ocean Health.” World Economic Forum. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/friends-of-ocean-action/taking-ocean-action-from-commitment-to-implementation-friends-of-ocean-action-call-for-real-change-for-ocean-health/.
9. “Taking Ocean Action from Commitment to Implementation: Friends of Ocean Action Call for Real Change for Ocean Health.” World Economic Forum. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/friends-of-ocean-action/taking-ocean-action-from-commitment-to-implementation-friends-of-ocean-action-call-for-real-change-for-ocean-health/.
10. “Over 150 Industry Leaders and Organizations Call for Decisive Government Action to Enable Full Decarbonization of International Shipping by 2050.” World Economic Forum. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/friends-of-ocean-action/gtz-call-to-action/.
11.  “Who We Are.” World Economic Forum. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/friends-of-ocean-action/who-we-are/.
12. “Who We Are.” World Economic Forum. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/friends-of-ocean-action/who-we-are/.