High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy

What High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy does

The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (the Ocean Panel) is an intergovernmental initiative founded in 2018 and comprising 19 member countries — Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Fiji, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Palau, Portugal, Seychelles, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Its stated objective is to catalyse and implement global ocean solutions by advancing sustainable management of 100% of ocean areas under national jurisdiction through country-led Sustainable Ocean Plans. Collectively, the membership covers approximately 42% of global coastlines, 40% of global Exclusive Economic Zones, 19% of world fisheries, and 21% of the world shipping fleet.

The Panel does not produce a commercial product or technology platform. Its substantive outputs are (a) Blue Papers and Special Reports — commissioned research authored with input from over 400 experts across 60 countries; (b) policy frameworks including the Ocean Action Agenda 'Transformations' (spanning Ocean Wealth, Ocean Health, Ocean Equity, Ocean Knowledge, and Ocean Finance) and Sustainable Ocean Plans; (c) implementation guides such as the 2025 Handbook on Sustainable Ocean Plans; and (d) coalitions including the 100% Alliance and the Ocean States Initiative. Distribution is via a multilingual website (English, Spanish, Chinese, French), an expert/advisory network, and major annual convenings, most notably the Our Ocean Conference series.

Operationally, the Ocean Panel is supported by the World Resources Institute (WRI), which hosts the Secretariat. The Panel itself runs on approximately 8 staff, and revenue model is non-commercial: funding flows through WRI's nonprofit structure, member-state contributions, and partner grants. The 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya (June 2026) generated more than $6.4 billion USD in new commitments across 320+ pledges, with $2.9 billion coming from Ocean Panel governments. The Panel is led by Tom Pickerell as Head of the Ocean Panel Secretariat and is governed collectively by member-country Sherpas meeting on a roughly quarterly cadence (the 45th meeting was held in Lisbon in May 2026).

Name

High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy

Legal name

World Resources Institute (supporting the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy)

Website

https://oceanpanel.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) is an intergovernmental initiative of 19 countries, hosted by World Resources Institute, that advances 100% sustainable ocean management through evidence-based research, Sustainable Ocean Plans, and international convenings such as the Our Ocean Conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ocean Policy Coordination

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Ocean policy coordination
• Sustainable ocean management
• Blue economy research
• Intergovernmental ocean governance
• Marine conservation advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ocean Panel is an intergovernmental initiative of 19 countries that produces the Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs) policy framework, the Handbook on Sustainable Ocean Plans practitioners' guide, the Ocean Action Agenda, Blue Papers and Special Reports on ocean science and policy, and the 100% Alliance coalition, all oriented toward sustainably managing 100% of ocean areas under national jurisdiction by 2030. Operational delivery is supported by the World Resources Institute Secretariat, Expert Group and Advisory Network, and convenings such as the Our Ocean Conference and Island States Ocean Summit.

Product overview

The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy is an intergovernmental organization comprising 19 countries working together to advance global ocean solutions. The Panel produces Blue Papers (commissioned research publications), practical guidance documents including the Handbook on Sustainable Ocean Plans, and policy frameworks such as the Ocean Action Agenda and Sustainable Ocean Plans. These offerings work together to guide countries toward sustainably managing 100% of ocean areas under national jurisdiction through evidence-based research, practical implementation guides, and international cooperation initiatives like the 100% Alliance and Ocean States Initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Blue Papers Commissioned expert papers providing comprehensive assessments of ocean science and knowledge with policy relevance, drawing on more than 400 experts across 60 countries and covering topics such as ocean finance, coastal development, ocean genome, critical habitats and biodiversity, illegal fishing, and Indigenous knowledge co-production. For use by Ocean Panel member governments and broader ocean policy stakeholders.
• Handbook on Sustainable Ocean Plans A practitioners' guide providing a practical five-step framework (setting objectives, financial planning, baseline analysis, plan building, and implementation) for countries to design and implement Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs). For use by national governments, planning authorities, and ocean policy practitioners.
• Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs) Framework Country-driven framework for sustainably managing 100% of ocean areas under national jurisdiction, unifying conservation, fisheries, aquaculture, climate action, food systems, and economic development under a single framework. For adoption by member governments and other coastal/ocean states joining the 100% Alliance.
• Ocean Action Agenda (Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy) The 'Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy' agenda setting out the shared aim to sustainably manage 100% of ocean area under national jurisdiction, guided by Sustainable Ocean Plans and structured around Ocean Wealth, Ocean Health, Ocean Equity, Ocean Knowledge, and Ocean Finance. For adoption by member governments, partner organisations, and ocean stakeholders.
• Special Reports Comprehensive reports on ocean topics such as climate solutions, employment, food security, and ocean finance that inform the Ocean Panel's action agenda, including 'The Ocean as a Solution to Climate Change: Five Opportunities for Action' launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019. For use by governments, policymakers, scientists, and ocean stakeholders.

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Ocean States Initiative PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026At the Island States Ocean Summit (June 3-4, 2026, Tokyo), the Nippon Foundation launched the Ocean States Initiative in partnership with island nations to support sustainable ocean planning and build capacity for ocean leadership.
• World Resources Institute (WRI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorld Resources Institute established the Ocean Panel Secretariat to serve as the hub of an international research and communications network supporting the work of the Ocean Panel, the Expert Group, and the Advisory Network. WRI is a global research organization spanning more than 50 countries.
• Nippon FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched the Ocean States Initiative at the Island States Ocean Summit in Tokyo (June 2026) to strengthen sustainable development across island nations through a new Ocean Hub and Sustainable Ocean Plan Support Platform, as well as developing the next generation of ocean leaders through education, training and capacity-building.
• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-chaired the Island States Ocean Summit alongside President Surangel S. Whipps Jr of Palau and Yohei Sasakawa of the Nippon Foundation. IOC-UNESCO works on sustainable ocean planning and integrated ocean management.
• 100% AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnites coastal and ocean states committed to sustainably managing 100% of their national waters by 2030. Commitments include protecting biodiversity, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and driving ocean-based climate action through inclusive, science-based Sustainable Ocean Plans.
• The Pew Charitable TrustsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched a 3-year initiative to support countries to incorporate coastal wetlands and coral reefs into their National Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, working in partnership with governments, researchers and other NGOs.
• Getting to Zero CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition working with industry towards having commercially viable zero emission vessels operating along deep sea trade routes by 2030, supported by necessary infrastructure for scalable zero-carbon energy sources.
• Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresenting ten of the largest seafood companies in the world, advancing strategies to enhance sustainable fisheries and investigate mechanisms to adapt to climate change impacts on seafood production.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Maritime Organization (IMO): IMO is the UN specialized agency regulating international shipping — a key sector of the Ocean Panel's 100% approach (21% of world shipping fleet covered). Comparable as an intergovernmental regulator of ocean-based activity, though narrower in scope.
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA): IRENA is a comparable intergovernmental body that mobilizes governments around a sustainability transition (renewable energy), paralleling the Ocean Panel's convening model around ocean economy.
• UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme): UNEP is the larger UN system body for global environmental policy and convenes governments around climate, biodiversity, and oceans. It overlaps with the Ocean Panel's mandate at a broader, non-ocean-specialized level.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — Oceans Practice: WWF is a large international conservation NGO with a dedicated global oceans practice focused on marine protected areas, fisheries, and blue economy — directly comparable in mission and stakeholder engagement.

Direct peers

• Oceana: Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization focused exclusively on ocean conservation, with comparable policy research, government engagement, and campaign-driven mobilization functions.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): WRI hosts the Ocean Panel Secretariat and is a core operating partner. WRI itself is a comparable global research nonprofit operating in environment and sustainable development, providing direct institutional comparison on operating model, scale, and mission.
• Pew Charitable Trusts — Ocean Division: Pew is a strategic partner of the Ocean Panel (3-year NDC wetlands initiative) and runs a major global ocean conservation program with comparable policy, research, and government engagement functions.
• Nippon Foundation: The Nippon Foundation is a core strategic partner that co-launched the Ocean States Initiative and Ocean Hub. As a major philanthropy funding ocean research and capacity building, it is directly comparable in operational scope and influence on the agenda.
• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO): IOC-UNESCO is the UN's primary intergovernmental mechanism for ocean science and ocean governance, and co-chairs events with the Ocean Panel (e.g., Island States Ocean Summit). It is the closest functional peer as both bodies convene governments around sustainable ocean policy.

Emerging players

• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): MSC is a global standards and certification body for sustainable fisheries, partially overlapping with the Ocean Panel's fisheries and seafood commitments. Smaller and more narrowly focused, but functionally adjacent in shaping market access for ocean products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oceanpanel
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQjlROrYKqbS5T9PNV2Bm2A
• Facebookfacebook.com/oceanpanel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oceanpanel
• Instagraminstagram.com/oceanpanel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy