The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent. The last 11 years have been the hottest on record, negatively affecting health, economies and ecosystems.But one of the most promising areas for climate action has been largely overlooked and underinvested: the ocean.Research commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy found that ocean-based climate solutions can deliver over a third of the annual emissions cuts needed in 2050 to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F), a globally agreed target to avert the worst outcomes from climate change.These solutions, such as offshore renewables and restoring mangroves and other ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems, are ready to implement and economically viable today. Data shows that investing $1 in key ocean actions can yield at least $5 in global benefits, often more, over the next 30 years. They can also produce multiple co-benefits including job creation, habitat protection, food security and others. But while investments in a sustainable ocean economy are profitable, finance for these solutions has been largely lacking. For example, less than 1% of global development funding goes to the ocean. Meanwhile, analysis shows that while 90% of coastal and island nations’ new climate plans (known as ‘nationally determined contributions,’ or NDCs) include at least one ocean action, they’re largely missing solutions with the most potential to reduce emissions and generate new economic opportunities.Here are seven key opportunities for ocean-based climate action that can deliver substantial emissions cuts alongside social, economic and environmental benefits for coastal communities:1) Expanding Ocean-based Renewable EnergyOcean-based renewable energy is a major area of opportunity, with ready-to-implement solutions including offshore wind as well as floating solar and tidal power. Ramping up offshore renewables could slash greenhouse gas emissions by up to 3.60 gigatonnes per year in 2050 — more than the E.U.’s emissions in 2021. Increasing deployment of renewables will also be critical to meeting global energy demand as the world works to increase electricity generation while phasing out coal and other fossil fuels.This potential is more than theoretical. Investment in ocean-based renewables is already increasing. Global pledges in offshore wind now bring targeted deployment to up to 2,000 GW, enough to power approximately 1.5 billion homes annually by 2050.Certain countries are leading by example. Norway, for instance, is home to the world’s largest fully operational floating offshore wind park, Hywind Tampen. It has also allocated areas for 30 GW of offshore wind power production by 2040 and announced a competition for offshore wind production in two areas on the Norwegian continental shelf: Sørlige Nordsjø II (3,000 MW) and Utsira Nord (1,500 MW). China currently leads the world in offshore wind capacity, with over half of all operational turbines. Wind turbines are assembled in Stord, Norway for delivery to a floating wind park. Increased use of offshore renewable energy is one of the most impactful ways to leverage the ocean for climate change mitigation at a global scale. Photo by teaa1946/iStock To accelerate this transition at a global scale, countries must drastically increase their targets to augment the share of renewable power in the energy mix. They must also provide a stable and clear economic and regulatory framework to stimulate investments in supporting infrastructure for ocean-based energy. This includes reducing barriers in scaling up offshore wind turbines (both fixed and floating), as well as investing in new, innovative ocean-based energy sources, such as floating solar photovoltaics, wave power and tidal power. These technologies can help meet the world’s energy needs while minimizing harm to marine life.2) Reducing Emissions from ShipsThe international shipping industry carries about 80% of the world’s trade between nations; if counted as a country, it would be among the world’s 10 largest emitters.While some progress has been made to decarbonize ocean-based transport over the last decade — primarily through energy efficiency measures such as redesigning and refurbishing ships to reduce fuel use — reducing the sector’s impact will require much more investment in both existing and emerging low-carbon shipping solutions.Shipping companies must increase operational and logistical efficiencies, such as reducing the speed of vessels and taking weather conditions into account when planning routes. This can help save fuel and money. At the same time, companies and governments will also need to step up investments in new zero-emission fuel technologies, such as those made from hydrogen and ammonia, as well as supporting infrastructure like fuel storage and processing facilities. Taken together, these solutions could lower shipping emissions by up to 2 gigatonnes per year in 2050, equivalent to taking over 400 million cars off the road every year, while providing jobs.The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Net Zero Framework aims to set a global fuel standard that requires ships to gradually reduce their pollution, as well as a pricing mechanism that will charge a fee on the greenhouse gases ships emit. Countries have yet to adopt the IMO’s Net Zero Framework after it was strongly opposed by the U.S. government in October 2025, but talks are set to resume in late 2026. Without this regulatory framework in place, shipping decarbonization is unlikely to fulfill its emissions-reduction potential.3) Conserving and Restoring Coastal and Marine EcosystemsHealthy ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and tidal marshes are powerful carbon sinks. They can store up to 5 times more carbon per area than tropical forests and absorb it from the atmosphere about 3 times as quickly. This makes them an important — though often overlooked — ally in tackling the climate crisis.Beyond their ability to remove and store carbon from the atmosphere, these ecosystems also offer myriad co-benefits, particularly in vulnerable coastal areas. They sustain economies through fisheries and tourism, provide crucial habitat for diverse marine species and help enhance freshwater quality, all while buffering coastal communities from the impacts of increasingly extreme weather like cyclones. Students plant mangrove seedlings in Situbondo, Indonesia. Protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems like mangroves, salt marshes and seagrass meadows can increase carbon removal and storage while helping protect nearby communities from climate impacts. Photo by Sam maulidna/Shutterstock However, blue carbon ecosystems are disappearing at a rapid pace, driven by the ‘coastal squeeze’ between climate-driven impacts (including sea level rise and extreme weather) and development of coastal areas. Action to address this degradation has been woefully inadequate.Efforts to conserve, restore and sustainably manage blue carbon ecosystems can significantly reduce emissions, equivalent to shutting down 76 coal-fired power plants per year by 2050. 4) Expanding Sustainable SeafoodAs the global population rises, so, too, will the need for food. The ocean can play a key role in meeting this need with a wide range of sustainable seafoods. Algae, fish and shellfish require fewer resources to produce than options like beef and lamb. Incorporating these ‘blue foods’ into global diets not only diversifies protein choices, but could also reduce global emissions by up to 1.47 gigatonnes per year in 2050, comparable to removing 393 coal-fired power plants annually.If well managed, global blue food production could sustainably grow by roughly 30–75% by mid-century, almost entirely from low-impact aquaculture and rebuilt fisheries, while delivering major nutrition and climate benefits.However, while consumption of these foods is common in some cultures, awareness of their environmental and health benefits remains limited at a global scale. Prices are also sometimes prohibitively high for consumers. Governments and the food industry can do more to raise awareness, send clear policy signals (such as subsidizing these foods), and invest in the right enabling environments. Farmers tend to a large seaweed farm in Jangheung-gun, South Korea. Ocean-based foods such as seaweed and fish are often less resource-intensive and more sustainable than land-based protein options like meat. Photo by Stock for you/Shutterstock Some countries are starting to do this. Australia, for example, is investing AUD $70 million (US $45 million) in the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre. The initiative brings together expertise in aquaculture, marine renewable energy and marine engineering as part of a collaborative effort between industry, researchers and the community. It aims to develop innovative and sustainable offshore industries to increase Australian seafood and marine renewable energy production.5) Leveraging the Ocean’s Potential for Carbon Removal and StorageThe latest climate science recognizes that, in addition to deep emissions cuts across all sectors, meeting global climate goals will require removing some of the carbon that’s already in the atmosphere. Alongside restoring blue carbon ecosystems which absorb CO2 naturally, ocean-based carbon removal approaches, including marine carbon dioxide removal and carbon capture and storage below the seabed, have sparked interest in recent years.Carbon capture and storage involves harvesting carbon from the atmosphere through direct air capture or waste combustion and pumping the liquified carbon into chambers below the seabed, where it can be stored permanently. These methods are currently more mature than marine carbon dioxide removal techniques and could provide up to 1 gigatonne of emissions reductions by 2050 if current deployment trajectories continue.Marine carbon dioxide removal includes a range of techniques. For example, ocean alkalinity enhancement involves adding alkaline minerals into the ocean to alter its chemistry and increase carbon uptake. Ocean nutrient fertilization spurs massive algal blooms that may absorb huge amounts of carbon. These strategies show promise, but are currently only at early stages of development. Prior to scaling marine carbon dioxide removal, thorough research on the ecological and socio-economic impacts must be conducted, in addition to addressing policy and governance questions.While research into ocean-based carbon removal technologies should be accelerated, it should not be a reason to delay solutions that are already viable and ready to implement today, such as offshore wind, marine ecosystem conservation, and increasing low-carbon seafoods.6) Decarbonizing Ocean CruisesCoastal and marine tourism represents at least 50% of total global tourism. It constitutes the largest economic sector for most small island developing nations and many coastal ones, and it’s the largest single-employment sector in the ocean economy. While critical to these countries’ economies, cruise tourism is also a considerable polluter: One recent study found that a large cruise ship can have a carbon footprint greater than 12,000 cars. Cruise ships also emit other pollutants besides carbon dioxide — such as sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides and particulate carbon — that can harm marine ecosystems and human health. A large cruise ship sails off the coast of Portugal with dark fumes emitting from its smokestack. Cruise ship pollution is harmful not only to the climate but also to human health and marine ecosystems. Photo by Amra Pasic/Shutterstock Efforts to reduce emissions from ocean tourism should start with improving the efficiency of ships, such as through net-zero fuels and decreasing ship resistance in the water. Policies promoting fuel efficiency and the use of alternative fuels (such as liquefied natural gas and other bio and synthetic hydrogen-derived fuels) are also needed in the longer-term. Successfully decarbonizing cruise tourism could deliver 0.1 gigatonne of emissions-reduction potential by 2050, equivalent to the annual emissions of 251 natural gas-fired power plants.7) Reducing Offshore Oil and GasThe world cannot tackle the climate crisis without drastically reducing fossil fuel production and consumption. Phasing down offshore oil and gas offers the largest opportunity for ocean-based climate action, with the potential to eliminate up to 5.30 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases annually in 2050, equivalent to taking about 1.1 billion cars off the road each year. (This assumes that energy demand formerly supplied by fossil fuel generation can be met by a parallel increase in zero-emission energy sources, such as ocean-based renewables).To help accelerate this transition, governments can withdraw fossil fuel subsidies in countries that currently provide them; enact legislation or regulations to ban routine flaring (a current practice for disposing of large unwanted amounts of petroleum gas); stop new licensing for offshore oil and gas extraction; and invest public finance in energy security and access for the most economically vulnerable communities.Investing in the Ocean as a Climate Change SolutionThese ocean-based climate solutions could potentially exceed one-third of the total emissions reductions needed to meet global climate goals. But perhaps even more compelling is the wide range of co-benefits that come with them — protecting coastal communities from storms, providing jobs, harboring wildlife and improving food security. For example, a recent study shows that employment in the sustainable ocean economy could grow by 51 million ‘blue jobs’ by 2050.However, these benefits can only be realized if governments and companies alike invest in the technology and infrastructure needed. Securing the ocean’s full emissions-reduction potential will require at least $1 trillion of additional finance between now and 2030, increasing toward $2 trillion between 2030 and 2050. However, the ocean currently receives less than 1% of official development and philanthropic spending. Investments fall significantly short of the estimated $550 billion required yearly to secure long-term ocean health.We need a strategic shift in investment across each sector to maximize impact. Where finance is already available, such as offshore renewable energy, it needs to be fully directed toward the most impactful solutions. Where funding is scarce, such as for blue carbon restoration and conservation, de-risking, guarantees and blended finance can help make investing in these solutions more attractive.Research commissioned by the Ocean Panel lays out how these ocean-based climate actions can be fully leveraged. To learn more, see: The Ocean As a Solution to Climate Change: Updated Opportunities for Action.