Last month, Mombasa made history as the first African city to host the Our Ocean Conference (OOC) – an international convening to protect and conserve the ocean, gathering well over a hundred countries. Yet the significance of the conference went far beyond where it was held. It demonstrated why Africa is increasingly becoming one of the world’s most influential voices in shaping the future of our ocean.
At OOC, the world watched Kenya host and champion ocean action, calling on governments to move from ambition to implementation. African nations announced new marine protected areas in their waters, from Tanzania to Senegal, as well as regional cooperation to deliver conservation across and beyond national borders.
Combined, these commitments reinforced Africa’s growing leadership in the global goal to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 – the (30×30) target.
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This momentum didn’t just happen when OOC landed on our shores. In recent years, I’ve seen African leaders make clear their position on ocean protection – demonstrated by over a third (37%) of the continent ratifying the High Seas Treaty.
What did become clear at OOC is why Africa is driving ocean action: it’s recognised the benefits of ocean protection extend far beyond environmental conservation. It is about protecting livelihoods, strengthening food security, supporting tourism and coastal economies, building resilience to climate change, and securing a sustainable future for millions of people who depend on healthy marine ecosystems every day.
That is why the global target to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 is far more than a number.
As the impacts of the climate crisis become impossible to ignore across Africa – with floods, droughts and rising seas putting communities and economies under rising pressure – we need another line of defence. This is where ocean protection comes in.
Coral reefs act as natural shock absorbers, reducing the force of waves and storm surges, while healthy marine ecosystems are home to thriving fisheries that provide food and income for billions. We need to invest in these natural systems already shielding us.
But as threats against the ocean escalate, these protectors suffer and deteriorate. Destructive fishing and exploitation of stocks cause severe harm to ecosystems and tilt them dangerously out of balance. Rising temperatures put coral reefs at risk of bleaching and drive wildlife decline.
Working with communities to restore and protect our natural infrastructure, I have seen firsthand what conservation looks like when driven at the local level by the people at the grassroots – and what it can achieve for both people and nature.
Along the coast from where OOC took place and where Kenya’s second-longest river flows into the Indian Ocean, communities are protecting mangrove forests. I’ve stood amongst these powerful natural shields. Shrubs and trees that hug our coastlines, slow down incoming tides, prevent flooding and absorb vast amounts of carbon, helping to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
At Green Generation Initiative, we have seen that conservation is most successful when communities are at its heart. Along the Sabaki River Estuary, we work with local women’s groups to restore mangrove forests while supporting sustainable livelihoods through green enterprises such as mangrove seedling propagation, sustainable beekeeping, and ecotourism. When communities directly benefit from healthy ecosystems, they fully embrace the restoration and protection of nature.
This is what community-led conservation looks like. It restores nature while creating jobs, strengthening livelihoods, and building climate resilience for communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Simply put, this is how conservation delivers for people and nature and that is why Africa is stepping forward with confidence.
However, the steps taken in Mombasa can only be the beginning.
The next test comes in November at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17), where governments will face the first Global Review – a formal collective progress report towards protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030.
The conference theme – ”taking action for nature” – aptly reflects that commitments are no longer enough. While just over 10% of the global ocean is designated as protected and conserved, the area effectively protected falls far below this mark. Only 3.3% of the ocean is fully or highly protected with destructive trawling and other harmful activities persisting in supposed sanctuaries. When the systems keeping us safe, fed and working are at stake, countries’ pledges don’t cut it.
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If we are to truly appreciate the ocean as essential to a secure future then its protection must urgently go beyond words and pledges. It must be financed like essential infrastructure.
While $6.4 billion was pledged by governments towards ocean action at OOC, $15.8 billion is needed per year to deliver marine 30×30. That should be seen as an investment, not a cost. Protecting marine ecosystems is projected to generate around $85 billion annually through avoided costs and returns. It will give us healthier fisheries and deliver – just as the Sabaki mangrove project shows – stronger coastal economies.
Mombasa showed that Africa understands the far-reaching, immense value of the ocean. The rest of the world must catch up and prioritise ocean protection as one of the smartest investments in our collective future.
Elizabeth Wathuti, O.G.W, Founder and CEO of Green Generation Initiative (GGI) and Together for the Ocean Ambassador
