EU Commits Over €300 Million to Ocean Conservation at Busan Conference

New funding targets marine pollution, sustainable fisheries, digital innovation, and ocean-climate resilience

The European Union has pledged more than €300 million to support global ocean conservation efforts at the 10th Our Ocean Conference, held this week in Busan, Republic of Korea.

Marking a decade of international cooperation on marine sustainability, the 2025 conference has placed strong emphasis on the role of digital innovation, sustainable development, and urgent action to protect the world’s oceans.

In a major announcement, the EU committed €301,485,000 towards a series of targeted initiatives across six key areas: sustainable blue economy, marine pollution, marine protected areas, digital oceans, sustainable fisheries, and ocean and climate change.

Breakdown of EU commitments

The EU’s funding package includes:

• Sustainable blue economy:
  €120 million to support African and Pacific nations in strengthening ocean governance and developing sustainable marine economies (€58 million for the Western Indian Ocean, €42 million for Central Africa, and €20 million for the Pacific).

• Marine pollution:
  €65.5 million to tackle marine litter and transition towards a circular blue economy, pending final Commission approval.

• Marine protected areas:
  €40 million to help partner countries preserve marine biodiversity and ratify the landmark Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement.

• Digital ocean:
  €30 million committed through the EU’s “Restore our Ocean and Waters” Mission towards developing a Digital Twin Ocean, a major data-driven conservation initiative.

• Sustainable fisheries:
  €2.5 million to support global implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

• Ocean and climate change:
  €985,000 to strengthen the International Platform for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS), boosting the scientific-policy interface for ocean action.

Strengthening global leadership on marine protection

Speaking at the event, EU representatives stressed the bloc’s commitment to safe, secure, clean, healthy, and sustainably managed oceans. The funding forms part of a broader effort under the forthcoming European Ocean Pact, intended to unify EU ocean policy and strengthen the blue economy.

The Our Ocean Conference, originally launched by former US Secretary of State John Kerry in 2014, has become a cornerstone of global marine governance efforts. Since its inception, the conference has mobilised more than 2,600 commitments worth approximately €140 billion.

This year’s milestone edition in Busan also places a spotlight on “Digital Oceans,” exploring how cutting-edge technologies can drive better ocean stewardship.

To boost transparency, the EU has developed a commitment tracking tool allowing citizens to monitor progress on pledges made at every Our Ocean Conference.

The next key milestone for the EU’s ocean agenda will be the unveiling of the European Ocean Pact later this year.