….Call for International Cooperation to Protect Ocean Potentials
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and China have called for stronger international cooperation to protect the oceans while unlocking the potential of the global marine economy.
Speaking at the 2026 Global Ocean Development Forum, IUCN Director General, Dr Grethel Aguilar, stressed that a sustainable blue economy could not exist without healthy oceans.
“There cannot be a blue economy without a healthy sea. The ocean must be protected and safeguarded,” Aguilar said.
She noted that China had demonstrated strong interest in developing the ocean economy, stressing that partnerships and teamwork were essential to achieving sustainable development goals.
The 2026 Global Ocean Development Forum, also referred to as the Ocean Cooperation and Development Forum, was held from September 16 to 18 across the Qingdao West Coast New Area and Beijing, China.
The forum, themed “From Blue Ocean to the Future: Developing a Sustainable Ocean Economy and Building a Beautiful and Bountiful Ocean Together,” brought together about 680 domestic and international participants, including government officials, industry leaders and academic experts.
The programme featured a “1+1+4+8” structure comprising one opening ceremony and main forum, one dialogue on ocean civilisation, four parallel forums and eight featured supporting events.
Also speaking at the forum, Sun Shuxian, Vice Minister of China’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Director-General of the Ocean Administration, said the development of the marine economy was of great significance to global sustainable development and economic recovery.
Sun, who is also a member of the Leading Party Members’ Group of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said the global economy was showing resilience despite weak growth and high uncertainties, adding that the marine economy could provide new opportunities for economic growth.
He cited 2025 global figures showing that shipbuilding completions, the delivery value of offshore engineering equipment and newly added installed offshore wind power capacity recorded year-on-year growth of 10.9 per cent.
According to him, developing the marine economy was an inevitable choice for addressing sluggish global economic recovery and promoting high-quality development.
Sun said China would remain committed to promoting high-quality marine economic development, deepening cooperation in marine ecological conservation and building a modern marine industrial system.
He said China would further expand blue partnership relations, consolidate cooperation platforms and mechanisms, promote maritime cooperation projects, and strengthen economic, trade and cultural cooperation with countries around the world.
On marine environmental protection, Sun said China would further advance marine ecological civilisation by coordinating the allocation of sea areas and island resources under a unified “one map” for national territorial spatial planning and natural resources management.
He said the country would strengthen mangrove conservation and restoration and implement initiatives including Blue Bay Rehabilitation, Beautiful Shorelines and Livable Islands.
China would also explore marine carbon-sink accounting and advance marine carbon-sink trading, while improving marine early-warning and forecasting systems as well as disaster prevention and mitigation capacity.
Sun said China would continue to work with countries around the world to share opportunities and address common challenges through open cooperation.
“Let us pool formidable strength to pursue maritime empowerment, ignite the blue engine for economic growth, and jointly write a new chapter for global maritime openness and cooperation,” he said.
A major highlight of the forum was the participation of Nigeria’s Ambassador to China, alongside other senior government officials, representatives of international organisations, industry leaders and academic experts from across the world.
The participation of the Nigerian delegation underscored the importance of strengthening international cooperation in marine development, environmental protection and the sustainable use of ocean resources.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
