Coinciding with the “Oceans and Coastal Zones” thematic day at COP27, the U.S. State Department highlighted a series of ocean-climate actions the United States is leading, including the Green Shipping Challenge, joining the “Ocean Conservation Pledge” to conserve or protect at least 30% of ocean waters under national jurisdiction by 2030 and recruiting other countries to do the same, NOAA partnerships with other nations to include coastal wetlands in greenhouse gas inventories and enhance capacity for their long term management, support for global ocean and climate risk mitigation projects, joining the Global Offshore Wind Alliance, and developing a National Ocean Acidification Action Plan.
The State Department referred to marine conservation as a “critical ocean-based solution to address the climate and biodiversity crises,” and said that the National Ocean Acidification Action Plan announced at COP27 will be closely tied to the U.S. Ocean Climate Action Plan now under development and identify U.S. actions that address the root causes of ocean acidification and gaps and opportunities for further action.
Under the Green Shipping Challenge, the launch of which was chaired by U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stør, governments including the United States, ports, and companies made over 40 announcements to help promote vessel emissions reductions, including through zero emissions fuels, zero emissions ships, and green shipping corridors.
Specific U.S. actions under the Green Shipping Challenge include cooperation with South Korea, Canada, and the United Kingdom to establish green shipping corridors across the Pacific, Great Lakes, and Atlantic, development of a U.S. maritime decarbonization strategy, and projects to support green shipping corridors for other nations.
During opening remarks at a COP27 panel discussion on “Translating Ambition into Ocean and Climate Action: Perspectives from the Ocean Panel,” U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry on Nov. 15 talked about his concern about the state of the ocean and the effects of pollution, overfishing, acidity, development, and lawlessness on the marine environment (on the latter, specifically referring to the absence of a high seas treaty to govern ocean activities).
In his remarks, Kerry noted the ocean’s role in commerce through shipping and as a source of food and noting shipping industry decarbonization commitments, while also saying that said that if shipping were a country it would be the 8th largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Referring to the importance of protecting and restoring blue carbon ecosystems, Kerry highlighted U.S. initiatives to protect 30% of U.S. waters by 2030, create a sustainable blue economy (including through offshore wind, greener ports, and marine conservation), deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, deploy 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035, and participate in the Green Shipping Challenge. In doing so, he invited all nations to join in committing to conserve or protect at least 30% of ocean waters under jurisdiction.
During closing remarks at a COP27 event on “Accelerating Ocean-Based Climate Action for a Sustainable Future,” OSTP Deputy Director for Energy and Chief Strategist for the Energy Transition Dr. Sally Benson talked about the role of the ocean in addressing climate, environmental justice, socioeconomic, and security goals and the “triple crises of climate, biodiversity, and equity.”
In doing so, she noted the important of ocean-based solutions for achieving climate goals, including through renewable energy, green shipping, and nature-based climate solutions. Benson noted administration goals including the deployment of offshore wind including floating wind technology, the conservation of at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030, and achieving zero emissions from international shipping by 2050. She also discussed the Green Shipping Challenge and the development of the 5th National Climate Assessment and Ocean Climate Action Pan, the latter of which she said will feed into the effort to create a National Sustainable Ocean Strategy.
In a blog post, OSTP Presidential Fellow Ella Clarke, Deputy Director for Climate and Environment Jane Lubchenco, and Deputy Director for Energy and Chief Strategist for the Energy Transition Dr. Sally Benson called the Ocean Conservation Pledge “critical for protecting biodiversity, conserving blue carbon, and supporting local economies.”
