UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge is sponsored by UNDP. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

The Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC) - UNDP Ocean Innovation Catalogue Explore Scalable Ocean Solutions Driving Real-World Impact 5 women, 5 countries, 1 mission Beating plastic pollution with breakthrough ideas From Venture to Vital: Funding Our Ocean's Future Investing in ocean solutions and why it matters more than ever This is our moment. Let’s take action.

A powerful call to #SaveOurOcean from marine conservation biologist and UNDP Ocean Innovator Callie Veelenturf The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Project Eyes in the sky, hands in the sea How technology and youth are saving Semporna’s seas Meet four women charting a new course in the fishing industry One Earth, One Ocean, One Sea From Costa Rica, a global call to make peace with the ocean What is the Ocean Innovation Challenge Launched in 2020 with Sweden and Norway support, the UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC) identifies, finances, and provides mentoring on pilot initiatives that demonstrate highly innovative approaches to ocean sustainability, cutting across SDG14 targets and associated sustainability challenges.

The OIC is designed to systematically support and accelerate progress on the SDG 14 targets. Priority is given to initiatives that are innovative, replicable, scalable, sustainable, and potentially transformational. These include both truly new approaches, or the transfer or adaptation of existing proven approaches to new contexts and/or locales.

The goal of the OIC is to accelerate progress on SDG14 by catalysing replicable and scalable innovations - including technical, policy, economic and financial - that can be sustained and contribute directly to delivery of one or more SDG14 targets. The OIC issues a series of competitive 'Ocean Challenges' or Calls for Proposals, each focused on a specific SDG14 target.

Calls for proposals are widely disseminated and are open to public or private entities, including governments, private companies (including start-ups), NGO/CSO, United Nations entities, academic institutions, and intergovernmental organizations. Focus areas : The OIC addressed marine pollution (SDG 14. 1), sustainable fisheries management (SDG 14.

4, 14. 7, 14. b), coastal ecosystems and marine protected areas (SDG 14.

2, 14. 5), and the blue economy in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coastal Least Developed Countries (LDCs) (SDG 14. 7).

Global reach: The OIC supported 36 innovative projects from diverse organizations worldwide. These projects benefited 29 unique developing countries, including nine SIDS, 10 LDCs, and one global project. Impact: The OIC's support for 36 impactful ocean innovations demonstrates the far-reaching potential of ocean innovation to drive progress across all 17 SDGs.

By providing comprehensive support – funding, mentorship, capacity enhancement, and fostering a global network, the OIC enhances the existing ocean innovation ecosystem and ensures real-world impact. The ocean faces unprecedented threats to the ecosystem goods and services it provides to humanity, from climate regulation to food security to coastal tourism.

Despite some progress, many ocean challenges, from nutrient pollution to illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing to ocean acidification, continue to worsen. For most sectors that use and impact on the ocean, from fisheries to aquaculture to industrial agriculture, the `business as usual` scenario will not deliver the kinds of transformational change needed to move towards truly sustainable ocean use.

A combination of technical innovation and cutting-edge policy, financial and economic incentives are needed to transform ocean-related sectors, both sea-based and land-based. While there are a handful of relevant initiatives, these are limited in their sectoral scope.

Solutions are required that cut across the unique innovation needs of each SDG14 target, whether it be reduction of plastics pollution, eliminating overfishing, or enhancing access for small scale fishers. The OIC identifies and provides support to scale-up these solutions.

SDG 14, which aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, sets forth a very ambitious agenda for oceans restoration and protection. Get detailed information on each SDG 14 targets here The ocean absorbs about 30 percent of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.

More than 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods. The market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at US$3 trillion per year, about 5 percent of global GDP. Banner - UNDP Ocean Innovations Static Map The markers on this map are representative of approximate locations and do not reflect the exact position of UNDP Ocean Innovators and where they operate.

This map is for visualization purposes only and should not be used for navigation or considered a definitive geographic reference. The boundaries, names, and designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations or the United Nations Development Programme.

(UNDP) Actions and Innovations for the Ocean Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba British Indian Ocean Territory Democratic Republic of the Congo French Southern Territories Heard and Mc Donald Islands Lao People's Democratic Republic Micronesia, Federated States of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands USA Minor Outlying Islands Vatican City State (Holy See) Wallis and Futuna Islands Current country location (Others) Ocean innovation news and stories Ocean action news and stories All updates and announcements Join us in our journey through the Innovators Stories News, updates and opportunities within the ocean community Take part in these Events to #SaveOurOcean Understand OIC's work & see the Ocean Innovators in motion pictures UNDP Ocean Innovators Worldwide The markers on this map are representative of approximate locations and do not reflect the exact position of UNDP Ocean Innovators and where they operate.

This map is for visualization purposes only and should not be used for navigation or considered a definitive geographic reference. The boundaries, names, and designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations or the United Nations Development Programme.

4TH CALL: ACCELERATED BLUE ECONOMY EDITION FOR SIDS AND COASTAL LDCS (CLOSED) 3rd Call: MPAs, Area-Based Management and the Blue Economy (closed) 2nd Call: Sustainable Fisheries (Closed) 1st Call: Marine Pollution Reduction (Closed) Frequently-Asked Questions