Global ocean temperatures set new record in 2024

The temperatures surpassed even those of 2023, which themselves represented a marked uptick over any previous years on record, according to the study published Jan.10 in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. Read more here.

Landmark ruling gives Ecuador’s marine ecosystem legal rights

A landmark ruling from the Constitutional Court of Ecuador has given its coastal marine ecosystems the kind of legal rights that ‘must be protected’, concluding that the government must set limits on human activity such as industrial fishing, to do so. Read more here.

Zero waste blue initiative clears 245,000 tons of marine litter in 5 years in Turkiye

The “First 5-Year Provincial Action Plans” of the initiative, which was launched on June 10, 2019, under the patronage of First Lady Emine Erdogan, have now been completed. The ambitious project aims to combat marine pollution and safeguard aquatic ecosystems. Read more here.

How biodiversity impacts every corner of human life

From the large whales that mix ocean waters and make them more able to sustain life to tapirs that help the Amazon forest grow and provide rainwater to South America, the planet’s biodiversity is deeply connected to humanity’s well-being. Read more here.

Palau signs host agreement for the office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner

The Government of the Republic of Palau and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on January 17, 2025, establishing hosting arrangements for the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC) in Palau. Read more here.