Geopolitical shifts are fracturing global agendas, sidelining Sustainable Development Goals as well as climate and biodiversity commitments. This is especially risky for the ocean, a key climate regulator and biodiversity hub that has the potential to underpin a regenerative blue economy. In 2020, it generated US$2.6 trillion in goods and services, fed over three billion people, and absorbed a large share of CO₂ emissions and associated excess heat—yet faces accelerating degradation due to climate change, overexploitation, pollution, and weak governance. Amid global polarization, science remains open, multilateral, and vital to ocean stewardship. Scientific, Indigenous, and local knowledge systems—if adequately funded, integrated, and applied—can drive governance, innovation, and sustainability. Yet they remain somewhat disconnected from policy. This Policy Brief produced by the International Scientific Committee of the One Ocean Science Congress identifies concrete steps to link knowledge systems with decision-making and strengthen ocean health, resilience, and inclusive prosperity.
Key messages
• In an era of rising uncertainty, open and shared knowledge is our first line of defense. Without strong and efficient knowledge-sharing systems, we cannot assess risks, guide marine policy, or build adaptive capacity.
• Strengthening science and knowledge is a political choice. Ocean research—from biodiversity monitoring and deep-sea exploration to climate modeling—remains underfunded. Rising military and commercial conflicts risks weakening vital investment in knowledge creation and sharing. Prioritizing knowledge in budgets and cooperation is key to meeting global ocean goals and building a regenerative blue economy.
• Integrating diverse knowledge systems makes decisions more legitimate, relevant, and fair. Indigenous, local, and scientific knowledge should be connected through knowledge co-production with stakeholders and right-holders, and this should become standard practice.
• Knowledge must lead to action. Investment in knowledge can drive measurable outcomes—from ecosystem restoration to marine resource management and resilience in coastal communities.
• UN Ocean Conferences should be a defining moment to secure a knowledge-based ocean future. UNOC3 offers a rare chance to align leadership, policy, and funding for inclusive partnerships and lasting impact.