The ocean is vital to life on Earth, regulating the climate, supporting food systems, powering local economies, and sustaining livelihoods. Recognizing its importance, the global community has coalesced around the science-backed 30×30 target: protecting and conserving at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. In 2025, the urgency to safeguard ocean health became increasingly evident, prompting significant action at national, regional, and global levels.
Marine protected area (MPA) coverage saw notable gains in 2025. The global ocean under protection rose from 8.2% in January to 9.9% by December, marking the largest single-year increase in nearly a decade. Major national commitments included the establishment of the world’s largest MPA in French Polynesia, while local protections expanded in places such as the Panaon Island Seascape in the Philippines and Australia’s South-East Marine Parks Network. Regional collaborations also advanced, including network-level protections in the Western Indian Ocean and steps toward a connected set of MPAs in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
International cooperation extended to the High Seas Treaty, formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement. In 2025, the treaty reached the 60-country threshold for entry into force and won The Earthshot Prize, with ratifications now totaling 78 nations plus the European Commission. Set to enter into force on 17 January 2026, the treaty provides a framework to establish fully and highly protected areas in shared waters, which cover 61% of the global ocean, and is essential to achieving the 30×30 goal.
Despite progress, effective protection remains limited. While nearly 10% of the ocean is officially protected, only 3.1% is effectively safeguarded, with destructive practices such as bottom trawling persisting in many MPAs. Campaigners highlighted these challenges during the Week of Ocean Action and through studies exposing the €11 billion annual net cost of destructive fishing to European societies. Legal victories, such as the EU General Court upholding deep-sea fishing bans, mark progress, but more action is required to eliminate harmful practices in MPAs.
Ocean finance continues to lag behind needs. Current funding for ocean protection is estimated at $1.2 billion annually, far short of the $15.8 billion required to achieve 30×30. While designation costs are relatively small, long-term management of MPAs demands sustained financing for enforcement, monitoring, and governance. Encouragingly, 2025 saw new financial commitments, including $2.5 billion from the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, €1 billion from the European Commission, and ORRAA’s #BackBlue Ocean Finance Commitment reaching $3.45 trillion. These investments provide a foundation for effective protection if channeled to on-the-ground implementation.
Lessons from 2025 underscore the importance of multilateralism, meaningful protection, sustainable finance, and Indigenous leadership. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) demonstrated effective local marine management, while emerging technologies like satellite monitoring, AI-driven vessel tracking, and remote sensing improved enforcement and transparency. These tools are increasingly critical for evidence-based marine governance and conservation.
With five years remaining to meet the 30×30 target, 2026 must be a year of decisive action. Key priorities include establishing high seas MPAs under the BBNJ Treaty, bridging the gap between finance commitments and on-the-ground solutions, enhancing MPA effectiveness, eliminating destructive activities, integrating marine OECMs equitably, and safeguarding Indigenous rights and knowledge. While 2025 marked measurable progress, the ocean’s health for future generations depends on accelerated, coordinated, and inclusive action in the coming years. Protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 is not only a conservation goal but a commitment to sustaining the planet’s life-support systems.
