Ocean us, a newly established global foundation, launched this week with an ambitious plan to rejuvenate the world’s depleted oceans. The foundation highlights that conservation alone is insufficient to reverse the catastrophic impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. Developed over five years, this initiative champions the integration of scientific rigor and societal empowerment as essential tools for planetary repair.
Backed by a coalition of the world’s foremost marine scientists, and bolstered by experts from various fields, the Ocean us plan aligns with the themes and legal frameworks discussed in the advisory opinion from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).
Ocean us is driven by a concept termed “radical hope,” countering the prevalent doomsday discourse surrounding the climate and biodiversity crises. The foundation’s mission is encapsulated in its vision of “ocean completeness,” which aims to restore biodiversity as a cornerstone of a fully functional ocean, ensuring a sustainable future. This vision surpasses mere resilience, aiming for comprehensive restoration in line with the ITLOS advisory.
The foundation has outlined six global projects targeting nine critical marine components: coral reefs, blue forests, native oyster reefs, megafauna, fish stocks, and the deep ocean. These projects will be operational worldwide by 2030. The ultimate objective is to rebuild all key marine components by 2050.
Acknowledging the urgent need, Global Coral Restoration is the first project to be launched. This industrial-scale plan aims to prevent the functional extinction of coral habitats, with an initial target to restore 9 million m² of degraded coral reefs by 2030—nine times the scale of the largest project to date. In collaboration with the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), Ocean us will implement advanced restoration methods to enhance coral resilience against temperature extremes, focusing on capacity building and local community empowerment.
Given the alarming state of coral reefs, Ocean us is initiating a global awareness campaign, “Last Call for Beauty,” which is set to commence next month. This campaign aims to engage over 500 million people and raise 40 million euros. This initiative has already secured commitments from major corporations in partnership with McCann.
Ocean us is also pioneering new financing mechanisms to address the critical underfunding of ocean restoration. Introducing “philanthropy 5.0,” the foundation seeks to create hybrid funding models, allowing donors to become “owners of impact.” The Ocean Impact Fund, set to launch this year, aims to mobilize up to $1 billion in investments for ocean restoration by 2030.
Ocean us founder Linda Neugebauer provided initial funding, along with generous contributions from private donors. Recent support includes a donation from H.S.H. Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein and LGT, the private banking and asset management group of the Princely House of Liechtenstein.
Visit Ocean us for more information on its comprehensive plan to rebuild the world’s oceans within a generation.
