The Great Blue Wall (GBW) is a Western Indian Ocean (WIO)-born, African-driven roadmap to achieve a nature-positive world by 2030, aiming at unlocking unprecedented nature-based recovery efforts through dramatically accelerating and upscaling ocean conservation action while enhancing socio-ecological resilience and the development of a regenerative blue economy. The GBW goals are to achieve a net gain of critical blue ecosystems in 2030 by conserving and restoring more than 2 million ha of critical ecosystems and consequently sequestering more than 100 million tons of carbon. It aspires to achieve this by catalysing political leadership and financial support to best-practice coastal and marine protection, conservation and sustainable resource management.
This session will focus on the implementation of best-practice coastal and marine conservation in the WIO, and the integration of Nature-based Solutions and the Regenerative Blue Economy into Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). The session is structured around two main panels, each addressing critical aspects of the Great Blue Wall initiative.
The first panel will delve into the technical aspects of improving the effectiveness, equitable, and gender-responsive conservation of WIO PA network, including OECMs. This discussion will focus on the tools, techniques, and community engagement strategies that are being used to manage and protect these areas. It will highlight the importance of scientific research, data collection, and monitoring in ensuring the success of conservation efforts. The panel will also address the role of advocacy and biodiversity conservation in supporting the livelihoods of local communities.
The second panel will explore the dynamic interrelation between Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and the blue economy, highlighting how both contribute to regenerative seascapes that restore ecosystems, strengthen community resilience, and foster sustainable economic growth. Within the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, NbS initiatives are increasingly central to the sustainable use of marine resources and climate change adaptation efforts, while also providing opportunities for inclusive economic development. Panellists will provide insights into how regenerative seascapes can enhance biodiversity and climate resilience while driving economic empowerment through the blue economy—particularly for women and youth—through access to nature-based value chains and entrepreneurship.
By focusing on practical implementation and sharing technical knowledge, this event aims to inspire and equip stakeholders with the tools and strategies needed to achieve sustainable ocean conservation and the development of a regenerative seascapes movement.
OBJECTIVES: To share practical strategies and collaborative efforts for accelerating ocean and coastal ecosystems conservation in the Western Indian Ocean, integrating Nature- based Solutions and the Regenerative Blue Economy and empowering local communities and indigenous people to become stewards, managers, and sustainable users of these seascapes.
Lead Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
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