From risk to resilience: how we can reach a nature-positive ocean

As we cross into the second half of the United Nations Ocean Decade—a critical moment to act for the ocean—it’s a timely moment to pause and reflect on global progress toward key goals. The science is clear: healthy marine and coastal ecosystems and a stable climate are essential to community livelihoods, food security, and a healthy global economy. And yet, we are sorely missing the mark—only 18% of the global Sustainable Development Goals are on track. And today, the Sustainable Development Goal for the ocean—Life Below Water—remains the least funded of all goals, climate change is accelerating (IPCC 2023), and ocean biodiversity continues to decline.

Despite these trends, there are still reasons for optimism in our ability to reach collective goals, including for nature. Some private sector leaders—including those who operate in the ocean or on coastlines ( the “blue economy”)—are paying attention to the risks that nature loss poses to their business, and working on nature assessments and disclosures, target setting, and initial steps towards nature transition planning.

These risks include:

By identifying and managing these risks, companies can begin to better set themselves up for long-term business success. What’s more, companies with a strong risk management foundation have a significant opportunity to go further and identify and invest in ways to contribute to positive outcomes for nature, for both their own benefit and the benefit of society writ large. For example, restoration and regeneration of ecosystems like corals and sea grasses can support sustainable supply chains like healthy fish stocks as well as ensure coastal resilience to extreme weather events.

So what can the private sector do for nature and the ocean to help create the future we know we need? The galvanizing term “nature positive”—which refers to the global goal for nature—begins to point the way. Nature positive means halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, with the aim of full recovery by 2050, aligned with the mission of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Achieving the nature-positive goal for the ocean—the largest habitat on Earth, a collective source of inspiration, and an economic engine—is fundamental to achieving our global goals for people and planet. Despite this, available guidance for nature-positive approaches in marine and coastal environments has lagged behind those for land and freshwater.

Contributing to a nature-positive future for the ocean is possible—and WWF’s recent report, Towards Nature Positive for the Ocean: Pathways for Corporate Contributions, shows companies in the ocean economy how. The report offers a clear entry point for companies to credibly contribute to this global goal, providing targeted recommendations for key sectors—offshore wind, coastal and marine tourism, shipping, and seafood— recognizing the interconnections among them. The report also grapples with the complexity of the ocean—including its size, constant movement, and how decisions are made about it—pointing the way toward clear, science-based, and practical actions that can be tailored to unique contexts.