The Living Oceans Foundation Signs the Rio Action Statement

January 14, 2025

Written by Liz Thompson

The Living Oceans Foundation is proud to join 25 other philanthropic organizations in signing the Rio Action Statement, an innovative commitment to advance the goals of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). This joint statement, crafted at the Fourth Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, outlines a strategic roadmap for mobilizing resources, fostering collaboration, and strengthening communication to support ocean science initiatives ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.

Mobilizing Resources for the Ocean We Need

Despite its critical role in addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, Sustainable Development Goal 14—Life Below Water—remains one of the most underfunded global priorities. The 2024 Rio Action Statement addresses this funding gap by calling for innovative financial models and equitable resource distribution. One key initiative is the upcoming launch of the OceanMatcher platform, which the Foundations Dialogue hopes to launch at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. This tool will connect endorsed Ocean Decade Actions with potential funders, fostering impactful partnerships that drive sustainable ocean science.

The Rio Action Statement builds on the priorities identified in the 2023 Monaco Statement and focuses on four key action areas:

New Funding Initiatives: Encouraging co-branded calls for Decade Actions and joint funding proposals to support innovative ocean science projects.
Better Investment Practices: Developing inclusive guidelines for grantmakers and grantees that emphasize equity, diversity, and co-design principles.
Strategic Communications: Advancing global ocean communication efforts through evidence-based strategies, inclusive narratives, and shared resources.
Collaboration Across Philanthropic Initiatives: Strengthening partnerships among Foundations Dialogue members to enhance collective impact and attract new collaborators.

The Role of Philanthropy in Ocean Science

“Sustainable Development Goal 14 holds great potential in addressing the triple planetary crisis, yet remains the most underfunded,” said Vidar Helgesen, UNESCO-IOC Executive Secretary. “Philanthropic organizations and the in-kind and financial resources they can mobilize can be game-changers to accelerate investment in the generation and use of ocean science.”

The Foundations Dialogue exemplifies this collaborative spirit, uniting diverse philanthropic organizations to share best practices, pool resources, and amplify their collective impact. By embedding values of inclusivity, equity, and diversity into all aspects of its work, the Dialogue ensures that the benefits of ocean science reach coastal communities, Indigenous groups, and small-island nations.

Why This Matters

Healthy oceans are essential for the planet’s sustainability and humanity’s well-being. The 2024 Rio Action Statement represents a pivotal moment in aligning philanthropic efforts with the ambitious goals of the Ocean Decade. By committing to strategic funding, innovative partnerships, and inclusive communication, the Living Oceans Foundation and its partners are driving meaningful progress toward a sustainable ocean future.

As we look ahead to the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, the Living Oceans Foundation remains dedicated to supporting science-based solutions that protect our oceans and the communities that depend on them. Together, we can achieve “the science we need for the ocean we want.”

Rio Action Statement

Download the Rio Action Statement

For more information about the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, visit oceandecade.org.

From Dialogue to Action: Ocean Foundations Gather in Stockholm

What can philanthropy accomplish when foundations working across ocean science, conservation, and sustainable development come together around a shared purpose?

That question was at the heart of the 6th UN Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue, held September 7–9 in Stockholm, Sweden. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation joined philanthropic organizations from around the world for three days of discussion, collaboration, and planning focused on accelerating progress during the second half of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Facilitated by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the UN Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue is a growing network of more than 30 philanthropic organizations committed to advancing ocean science, collaboration, and action. Since its creation within the framework of the Ocean Decade, the Dialogue has provided foundations with a space to exchange ideas, develop partnerships, and explore how philanthropy can help advance a healthy and resilient ocean.

Hosted by the Voice of the Ocean Foundation (VOTO), this year’s gathering began with From Depth to Action, an Opening Forum that brought nearly 100 leaders from the Swedish and international ocean community together at…

Meet IFAN: Helping Bring Navigate with Care to the Next Generation

If you’ve ever seen a lighthouse flashing from the shore or a brightly colored buoy bobbing in the water, you’ve seen Aids to Navigation at work.

Aids to Navigation, often called AtoNs, help mariners navigate safely. They can mark channels, warn of hazards, help vessels determine their position, and provide other information people need to make safe decisions on the water. Around the world, these systems help guide everything from small recreational boats to large commercial or container ships.

But safe navigation isn’t only about protecting vessels and the people aboard them. The choices mariners make can also affect the animals and ecosystems beneath and around them.

That connection between maritime safety and ocean conservation is at the heart of this year’s Science Without Borders® Challenge—and of our partnership with this year’s theme sponsor, the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN).