The Ocean Pavilion returns to international climate conference

Leading science institutions and partners highlight ocean–forest interconnection and the ocean’s role in global climate solutions at COP30

Woods Hole, Mass. (October 22, 2025) – More than a dozen of the world’s leading ocean science, philanthropic, and stakeholder organizations—led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego—to champion the ocean’s role in climate action at the 30th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP30), taking place November 10–21, 2025, in Belém, Brazil.

Located within the COP30 Blue Zone, the Ocean Pavilion will once again serve as the central hub for delegates to exchange ideas on how to address the climate crisis by leveraging marine science and ocean-based solutions. This year’s pavilion highlights the interconnectedness of the ocean and forests, emphasizing the unique setting of Belém—at the mouth of the Amazon River, where the rainforest meets the sea—and the essential role of both ecosystems in sustaining planetary health.

The 2025 Ocean Pavilion will feature nearly 60 presentations, keynote addresses, and in-depth discussions organized around key themes including Ocean Life and Biodiversity, Blue Economy and Finance, Ocean Justice and Equity, and Forest to Sea. Visitors will be able to meet with scientists, thought leaders, and the next generation of students actively working toward solutions for the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges. Pavilion sessions will also deliver a status report on global ocean issues expected to be addressed at COP30 and renew calls for enhanced ocean observing systems—critical to closing data gaps on sea-level rise, ocean warming, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and climate impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity.

This year, Ocean Pavilion partners will also present the Belém Ocean Declaration, calling on nations to take concrete steps to safeguard the ocean and the communities that depend on it. The declaration also calls on leaders to recognize oceans and forests as twin pillars of planetary stability and to urgently integrate ocean protection and solutions into global climate strategies, biodiversity goals, and sustainable development for a resilient, equitable future.

“The ocean affects everyone, everywhere, every minute of every day,” said Peter de Menocal, president and director of WHOI. “It is central to life on Earth and, if we proceed carefully and with science leading the way, the ocean can also help us address the most pressing challenges of our time. Only by understanding the ocean can we chart a path to a safe, sustainable, and prosperous future for all.”

"All parts of our Earth system are deeply interdependent, and the ocean is a critical component—driving changes to the atmosphere and on land," said Meenakshi Wadhwa, director of Scripps Oceanography and vice chancellor for marine sciences at UC San Diego. "Yet the ocean can be part of the solution to climate change through science-based and technology-enabled approaches for mitigation and adaptation, backed by a commitment to observations that deliver actionable environmental intelligence."

The Belém Ocean Declaration specifically seeks the following actions:

• Recognize the ocean as a central climate regulator
• Ensure ocean-based climate solutions are accessible, inclusive, and just
• Accelerate nature-based ocean and coastal solutions
• Develop new technologies to track chronic and episodic threats
• Establish robust MRV (monitoring, reporting and verification) systems
• Catalyze innovative finance mechanisms
• Commit to funding ocean mapping, observing and monitoring systems

Signatories of the Declaration include a wide range of oceanographic and science institutions and organizations from around the world.

COP30 follows a year of notable progress on the global ocean agenda. The Third UN Ocean Conference, held in Nice, France, in June 2025, produced the Nice Action Plan and the Blue NDC Challenge, advancing integration of ocean-based solutions into national climate commitments. In September, the UN Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) achieved the 60 ratifications needed to enter into force, creating new opportunities for global cooperation on high-seas conservation.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) remains the world’s highest decision-making body on climate. Each year, COP brings together heads of state, negotiators, scientists, and leaders across sectors—from industry and finance to civil society—to strengthen global action toward the goals of the Paris Agreement, which commits countries to limiting global warming to 1.5–2°C above pre-industrial levels.

“Brazil has long understood that our future is inseparable from healthy oceans,” said Marina Silva, Brazil’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. “From our vast coastline to the mighty Amazon, our history and identities are deeply tied to these great living systems. Hosting COP30 in Belém, where the Amazon meets the ocean, underscores the profound interconnection between land and sea. Together, they sustain the planet’s climate, nurture biodiversity, and support the livelihoods of billions worldwide. This agenda will be front and center across several spaces at the conference—including the Brazil Pavilions, the Ocean House in Belém, and the Ocean Pavilion at the UNFCCC—reaffirming the ocean’s central role in building a prosperous and sustainable future for all life on Earth.”

Participating partners in the COP30 Ocean Pavilion include: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, AGU, Minderoo Foundation, Carbon to Sea Initiative, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Fugro, Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), French National Institute for Ocean Science and Technology (IFREMER), São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), Marine Hazards Mitigation Center, Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, the Ocean & Climate Platform, and the Government of the State of Pará, Brazil.

More information about the Ocean Pavilion and COP30 in Belém can be found on the Ocean Pavilion website, where visitors can also sign up for updates on programming and events.

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About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Founded in 1930, its mission is to understand the ocean, its interactions with the Earth, and its role in a changing global environment. WHOI’s pioneering discoveries arise from a unique blend of science and engineering that has made it one of the world’s most trusted leaders in ocean research and exploration. Known for its multidisciplinary approach, advanced ship operations, and unmatched deep-sea robotics, WHOI also operates the most extensive suite of ocean data-gathering platforms worldwide. More than 800 concurrent projects—driven by top scientists, engineers, and students—push the boundaries of knowledge to inform people and policy for a healthier planet. Behind the scenes, ship captains, mates, craftsmen, marine operations, and other skilled professionals provide essential support that makes this work possible. Learn more at whoi.edu.