Six OECD policy priorities for a healthy and productive ocean

If considered a country, the ocean economy would be the fifth largest economy in the world. It accounted for approximately 3.4% of the global economy in 2019 and around 133.6 million full-time equivalent jobs. Yet, this vital part of the economy faces threats from overexploitation, pollution, and insufficient management and there is a real risk that the growth of past decades may stall.

To ensure sustainable ocean management and foster a resilient ocean economy, countries must implement science-based policies, strengthen regulatory frameworks and enhance international co-operation. This includes sustained investments in ocean science and observation, developing marine spatial plans, expanding marine protected areas and enforcing their protection, and fully integrating developing countries into global value chains. Ratifying international agreements like the World Trade Organization Fisheries Subsidies Agreement and the High Seas Treaty is also essential.

The OECD Ocean Economy to 2050 contains key recommendations on phasing out harmful practices, transitioning to cleaner energy and harnessing digital technologies to strengthen the productivity of ocean industries and protecting our ocean.

For developing countries, including Small Island Developing States, harnessing the ocean for sustainable and resilient development means seizing emerging economic opportunities while managing escalating risks such as sea-level rise and marine pollution. Very often, however, limited resources and structural constraints stand in the way.

Development co-operation can help. But the OECD’s tracking of development finance for a sustainable ocean economy shows that between 2010 and 2023, only about 1% of total global official development assistance (ODA) targeted ocean-related initiatives – exacerbating the chronic underfunding of SDG14.  The OECD’s guidance on ocean-related development co-operation calls for mobilising ocean-related ODA to meet recently established financial commitments on climate and biodiversity, while also using it to unlock the broader toolkit of ocean finance, such as blue bonds, debt-for-nature swaps and blue carbon markets.

The OECD also advocates for the better use of development finance. OECD data shows that between 2010 and 2023, only about 63% of ODA for the ocean economy supported sustainable activities. Funding remains concentrated in traditional sectors, often overlooking emerging sectors like offshore renewable energy, which represent yet-untapped opportunities for sustainable development. To redress these trends, the OECD recommends aligning development co-operation with four shared goals: ocean-based economic development and resilient, ocean equity, healthy marine and coastal ecosystems, and ocean-based climate action.

This guiding vision – when supported by adequate and effective financing, support for integrated ocean management, capacity development and broader efforts to improve global coherence – constitutes effective development co-operation for a sustainable ocean economy.

For millions, particularly in coastal communities, fisheries are a critical source of food and income. However, one-fifth of global fish stocks are unhealthy, and some 41% are below optimal levels of productivity.

Governments support fisheries to ensure the sustainability of fish resources, maintain jobs, support incomes, guarantee food security and respond to unexpected disruptions. However, 42% of support from OECD Members risks inadvertently encouraging overfishing and illegal fishing in the absence of effective management, suggesting there are considerable opportunities for reform.

The OECD Review of Fisheries 2025 offers comprehensive guidance on sustainable fisheries management to ensure healthy and productive fish stocks in the future. To reduce the risk of support inadvertently encouraging unsustainable fishing, the Review recommends that fisheries support polices target well-managed fisheries (e.g. healthy stocks) and governments increase investment in assessments, management, monitoring, control and surveillance. The OECD has also adopted a new legal standard to help ensure that public funds do not support illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Maritime transport is the backbone of global trade, transporting 80% of goods across the world. At the same time, it accounts for nearly 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This figure is projected to rise without decisive action and creates urgency for the sector to rapidly transition to cleaner technologies.

The OECD advocates for a level playing field and a just transition in the global shipbuilding sector by providing analysis on the adoption of alternative fuels and improvements in vessel energy efficiency. Mapping effective policy frameworks by governments and strategies by private actors to advance decarbonisation in maritime transport is crucial for moving toward a more sustainable and climate-resilient maritime sector.

The Role of Shipbuilding in Maritime Decarbonisation highlights the need for innovation and collaboration across the entire maritime value chain from marine equipment suppliers, and shipbuilders to ports and shipping operators to deliver effective, scalable, and sustainable solutions.

Coastal zones are vital economically and environmentally, stretching over 1.6 million kilometres and shared by 85% of countries. They host rich biodiversity, including a quarter of all marine species, and are home to 2.4 billion people - about 40% of the global population - occupying just 20% of the world’s land area. In most parts of the world, coastal metropolitan areas are on average 20% larger than those inland, thanks to economic opportunities arising from activities such as shipping and tourism.

However, coastal communities face mounting climate risks. By 2100, sea-level rise could displace 360 million people and cause USD 50 trillion in damages, with 14% of the global city population living in zones vulnerable to sea level rise. Storm surges, ocean warming and acidification are accelerating erosion and threatening livelihoods. In an OECD survey, climate change was identified as the top risk to the blue economy, potentially jeopardising economic activities such as fisheries, shipping and coastal tourism.

Strengthening climate adaptation and coastal resilience must be a priority. This requires integrated strategies across sectors, governments and stakeholders. The OECD’s The Blue Economy in Cities and Regions report provides in-depth recommendations to design and implement blue economy policies that are: resilient to economic and climate-related shocks; inclusive of local communities and stakeholders; sustainable environmentally by limiting environmental impacts while protecting ecosystems and biodiversity; and circular by preventing waste (including plastics), fostering material efficiency and transforming waste into resources

Plastic pollution is a pervasive threat to marine ecosystems, with an estimated 1.4 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean annually. Without urgent action, this figure is projected to grow significantly, further threatening marine life and human health. 

OECD analyses suggest that comprehensive global policies addressing the entire plastics lifecycle can reduce plastic leakage into the environment by 96%. This includes curbing production and demand, promoting eco-design, enhancing recycling and closing leakage pathways. By implementing a mix of policies, countries can achieve significant environmental benefits and economic savings compared to less balanced strategies.

To support a whole-of-lifecycle approach, the OECD’s Global Plastics Outlook and Policy Scenarios for Eliminating Plastic Pollution by 2040   call for policies such as plastic and packaging taxes, eco-design criteria and product standards, bans on selected single-use plastics and Extended Producer Responsibility schemes for packaging and durables that could encourage a more sustainable plastics economy. 

The ocean is our planet’s largest life support system, a source of food, livelihoods, climate regulation and cultural heritage. But its health is under threat. As we approach UNOC3, the urgency to take bold, co-ordinated action to protect and sustainably manage our oceans has never been greater.

From strengthening ocean governance and mobilising finance to promoting sustainable fisheries, decarbonising maritime transport, enhancing coastal resilience, and combating plastic pollution — the path is clear. Countries must translate commitments into action, backed by science, investments and international cooperation.

The OECD stands ready to support these efforts, offering data-driven insights, evidence-based policy recommendations, and a platform for collaboration. Together, we can ensure that our ocean continues to sustain us and future generations.