The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO will host the online launch of the Handbook on Sustainable Ocean Plans: A Practitioner’s Guide on Thursday, 30 October, from 4:00 to 5:00 PM (GMT).

The ocean is facing unprecedented pressures from the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. To address these interconnected challenges, countries are called to develop comprehensive approaches for the protection and sustainable use of their marine areas.

The newly released handbook offers a strategic, science-based, and participatory framework to guide Member States in developing Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs). It provides a holistic umbrella approach that aligns all ocean-related policies, tools, and governance mechanisms. SOPs aim to achieve 100% sustainable ocean management, helping nations translate international commitments into national action while fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and resilience.

Developed under the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel), the guide outlines a step-by-step process for practitioners responsible for shaping ocean and coastal policies. Topics include:

• Setting objectives and defining the scope of the SOP through coordination and collaboration

• Financial planning and resource mobilization

• Defining baselines and analysing future scenarios

• The building blocks of SOPs

• Implementation and action planning

The launch event will feature insights from the handbook’s lead authors and country representatives already advancing SOP development. Speakers include:

• Norma Munguía Aldaraca, Director General for Global Issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico

• Julian Barbière, Marine Policy Head and UN Ocean Decade Coordinator, IOC-UNESCO

• Cynthia Barzuna, Deputy Director, Ocean Program, World Resources Institute

• Marinez Scherer, COP30 Special Envoy for the Ocean

• Nii Moi Thompson, Senior Advisor to the President on the Sustainable Development Goals of Ghana

• Salvador Vega, Head of the Oceans Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile

Together, they will discuss how SOPs can strengthen governance, enhance data integration, and empower decision-makers toward a sustainable and equitable ocean future.

To join the launch of the Handbook on Sustainable Ocean Plans and explore this new vision for coordinated, science-based ocean action: register here.

To read the handbook: click here.