You are invited to join a leadership programme to develop National OA Actions by the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025 

 The leadership programme will support invited Ministries, departments and policy officers in the development and implementation of unique national commitments to domestic OA activities.

 The OA Alliance will directly support invited governments in finding their unique approach to domestic OA Actions across  2024-2025, leading to national implementation of UN SDG 14.3 “to minimize and address OA” by the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in 2025.

Between 2024-2025, the leadership programme will include:

  • 1-1 calls between your government and the OA Alliance.

  • Surveys to better understand your needs, goals, and capacities.

  • 4 webinars to help your government through the process.

  • 4 in-person meetings of members at high-level conferences like the Our Ocean Conference and Pre-UN Ocean Conference (2024).

  • 2 high-level leadership events at COP29 and the UN Ocean Conference (2025).

Participating governments should expect to:

  • Designate an “OA lead” within their appropriate ministry or department to work with the OA Alliance.

  • Expect to contribute about 2 hours a month to this programme.

  • Have demonstrated efforts to account for OA across domestic policies by UN Ocean Conference 2025.

  • Send high-level leadership to participate at events across COP29 and the UN Ocean Conference 2025.

getting started

  • Invitation letter

    Welcome to the National OA Action Planning Leadership Circle. Review the Invitation Letter to learn more about the programme aims, what’s required of your government and support the OA Alliance will provide!

  • Intake Survey

    We know that domestic approaches to OA Action Planning will be different across governments.

    To get started, we ask that you fill-out this brief intake form in order to better understand your government's goals and current capacity for domestic OA actions.

    Estimated time to complete form, between 20-30 minutes.

  • Getting Started Checklist

    The OA Alliance has created specific guidance to help governments find the right approaches to OA Action Planning that work best for them.

    The Getting Started Checklist will guide your government through designing an appropriate OA Policy Goal using 4 steps.

Policy Guidance

  • Member States of the European Union will learn how to integrate OA across relevant descriptors of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

  • Parties of the Paris Climate Agreement will learn how to include OA mitigation, adaptation, technology capacity and financing needs across Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).

  • Members of the High-Level Panel on Ocean Sustainability will learn how to integrate OA activities or priority knowledge gaps across related outcomes of Sustainable Ocean Plans having to do with ocean wealth, health, equity, knowledge, and finance

Additional Resources

  • OA Action Plan Toolkit

    The OA Action Toolkit contains both regulatory and non-regulatory actions that members might consider when crafting their own OA Action Plan. Not all OA Action plans will have the same framework or structure, as there is no “one- size fits all” approach.

    Some members may choose to write a stand-alone plan, while others may decide to integrate ocean acidification science, mitigation, and adaptation across existing policy frameworks.

  • Communications Pack

    This Communications Package includes a set of materials created by the OA Alliance to increase our collective impact and support members in their own messaging.

    Members might use these materials to: (1) Amplify their leadership role on OA; (2) Create talking points for climate or ocean conferences; (3) Communicate with colleagues within their own government or organization; (4) Support education and outreach efforts; and (5) Begin drafting their own OA Action Plans.

Support webinars

March 22, 2024

Time:
9am ET/ 3pm CET

Webinar #1: Getting Started Why is domestic OA Action Planning important?

Suggested approaches to OA Action Planning and guidance available from the OA Alliance.

Homework: Choosing your approach to OA Action Planning and assigning an OA lead from your government as primary contacts for this programme.

Fill out this introduction survey.


May 17, 2024

Time:
9am ET/ 3pm CET

Webinar #2: Taking Inventory

How do you know what OA science and research is happening in your area?  What is the best way to take inventory of local OA knowledge and to prioritize gaps.  Which entities can help you do this?

Homework: Filling in worksheet that will help identify your local science resources, state of knowledge, and prioritize any gaps that are most important to your government.


september 12, 2024

Time:
9am ET/ 3pm CET

Webinar #3: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies

How do you identify the best mitigation or adaptation strategies for your government?  What resources or sectors are most connected to this work?

Homework: Beginning to connect relevant mitigation and adaptation efforts to OA information.  Charting out where OA efforts should be incorporated across the specific policy document/ framework you chose to focus on.


february 6, 2025

Time:
9am ET/ 3pm CET

Webinar #4: Updates Towards OA Action Planning

How has your chosen approach to OA Action been going? What barriers are you encountering that need extra support?

Homework:  Review progress to date with OA Alliance, receive feedback and move towards finalizing your approach to OA Action Planning.

To RSVP for webinars, contact Jturner@unfoundation.org and AFrosch@unfoundation.org

In person meetings

OUR OCEAN CONFERENCE

National OA Action Planning Leadership Circle High-Level Meeting 

17 April 2024 | 11:00am-11:45am

Multifunctional Room 2; Roundtable Events. Located on the ground floor of the SNFCC,
Greece

IMMERSED IN CHANGE

National OA Action Planning Leadership Circle High-Level Meeting

8 June 2024 | 1:30-2:30pm

Humpback Whale Room of the Convention Center, Costa Rica

COP29

11 - 22 November 2024

The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly known as COP29, will be the 29th United Nations Climate Change conference.
Azerbaijan