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Climate change and warming ocean temperatures are threatening the preservation of the Gullah Geechee coastal communities in the United States. NBC News’ Brie Jackson reports on how flooding, storm surges and losing wildlife could erase the distinct way of life for these descendants of slaves.

At the ninth Our Ocean Conference (OOC) in Greece, the United States is turning ambition into action with the announcement of more than $508 million to protect our ocean by advancing marine protected areas, maritime security, the sustainable blue economy and sustainable fisheries, supporting ocean solutions to the climate crisis, and combating marine pollution.

As the first comprehensive U.S. strategy to use the power of the ocean and coasts to address and respond to the changing climate, the OCAP has furthered Administration priorities on tackling climate change, advancing equity and justice, and bolstering the U.S. economy.

The Biden administration must use the 2024 Our Ocean Conference in Greece to deliver on past ocean commitments while building toward a modern ocean conservation policy that goes beyond 30x30.

At this rate, raising the area of global ocean protection from 8% to 30% will take an additional 880 years.

The Ocean Awards Gala will further honor Leadership by recognizing people and organizations on the cutting edge of advocacy, policymaking, and exploration in the protection of our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes.

Funding will support increased tribal participation in ocean and coastal resource management.

A drive is now underway to increase protections at Papahānaumokuākea, and to establish a new national marine sanctuary.

The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary was recognised as a Mission Blue Hope Spot yesterday. The collaboration between the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and Mission Blue highlights the importance of designating the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary by mid-2024 to permanently protect the sacred and irreplaceable ocean ecosystems.

NOAA has released for public comment the draft designation documents for the proposed Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary. This action comes after the agency conducted a thorough analysis and evaluated feedback from the public, stakeholders, Native Hawaiian communities, scientists, and federal and state agencies.

International marine conservation non-profit Mission Blue has named the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary a Hope Spot in support of the pending permanent federal designation that will safeguard the area’s marine habitats indefinitely from destructive activities, such as seabed mining and oil drilling.

The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is now recognized as a Mission Blue Hope Spot. This collaboration between the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and Mission Blue highlights the importance of designating the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary by mid-2024 to permanently protect the sacred and irreplaceable ocean ecosystems.

NOPC is a partner-powered organization. Our partners are centered in everything we do. The coalition has grown and diversified since its inception. And just as our coalition has grown and evolved over the years, so too should our visual identity.

Explore Coastal Quest’s NEW Coastal Funding Database, a database of current funding opportunities that support coastal resilience programs and projects benefiting people, nature, and climate. The new format showcases even more funding opportunities and has streamlined the user experience with sort, search, and filter functions.

NOAA has expanded its alert scale that signals the severity of heat stress on corals and the risk for bleaching, with the goal of giving marine conservationists more precise information.

Through Urban Ocean Lab (UOL)’s coastal lens, we have identified five key policy themes—each with recommended actions—to help coastal cities meet this crucial moment.

President Biden recognizes that in the midst of a biodiversity and climate crisis, our focus on conservation is essential to the health of people and the planet. From restoring wetlands and building new parks to reconnecting wildlife habitat and protecting more than 26 million acres of lands and waters, conservation efforts are accelerating across the country to the benefit of families and communities everywhere.

Many governments are leaning on marine protected areas to fight biodiversity loss. But in America, ocean protections are uneven and often weak, leading scientists to call for new strategies.

A scientific journal published a study showing the largest deep-sea coral reef has been mapped. While the reef is not threatened by coral bleaching, it will still be affected by climate change.

If the state expands the system, it will help California meet Gov. Gavin Newsom’s and state legislators’ commitment to protecting 30 percent of our state waters by 2030

The National Ocean Protection Coalition celebrates the Biden Administration’s first-ever Ocean Justice Strategy. Fulfillment of this Strategy will advance environmental justice for communities that rely on ocean, coast, and Great Lakes resources by offering goals, principles, and practices that the Federal Government can adopt to provide long-term, sustainable benefits for people, communities, and the environment.

The Ocean Policy Committee, chaired by the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Science and Technology Policy, released the first-ever White House Ocean Justice Strategy today in Dubai at the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference.

U.S. Ocean Justice Strategy Will Integrate Principles of Equity and Environmental Justice in Federal Ocean Activities

The White House will announce its first-ever Ocean Justice Strategy Friday at COP28 in Dubai, which it says will advance the nation's commitment to environmental justice for all.

So yes, the sanctuary isn’t just about shipwreck hunting… it would work to protect cultural and indigenous sites. But also – marine ecosystems, like kelp forests and rock reefs by prohibiting new offshore oil and gas development or boats from dumping sewage, for example.

A story map highlighting the efforts of eight Indigenous, Tribal, and community-led groups around the country is ready to spread the good news about efforts to create new areas and strengthen existing ones to protect our coasts, preserve marine life, and fight the impacts of climate change.

Our partners at the National Ocean Protection Coalition have released a new Story Map and Report to highlight key opportunities to protect ocean resources across the United States.

8 Tribal, Indigenous, and community-led proposals provide a unique opportunity to continue addressing the climate crisis and ensure that all people can benefit from an effective, inclusive, and representative system of ocean and coastal protected areas. These historic initiatives can help the Administration deliver on its priorities by the end of 2024.

Now, the Chumash tribe is leading a push to turn this section of coastline into a marine sanctuary six times the size of Yosemite National Park. Marine sanctuaries are the aquatic equivalents of national parks, and are federally protected.

Scientists at the New England Aquarium are celebrating after they spotted an endangered sperm whale and calf in the biodiverse Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.