outubro, 16 2025

By Solange Azevedo, from WWF-Brazil

On Wednesday, October 15, the headquarters of WWF-Brazil, in Brasilia, hosted the “Mutirão Azul (Blue Collective Effort) Workshop: Accelerating Ocean-Based Climate Solutions”, an initiative that marks an important step towards COP30, which will be held in Belém, Pará, from November 10th. The event brought together about 70 representatives from more than 50 civil society organizations, indigenous peoples, traditional communities, researchers and government authorities. 

Organized by the COP30 Special Envoy for the Oceans, the Federal Government and WWF-Brazil, with support from the Oceano Azul Foundation, the meeting focused on the presentation and debate of the Climate Solutions Acceleration Plan of Key Objective 7: “Efforts to preserve and restore oceans and coastal ecosystems”. The initiative seeks to transform existing solutions into coordinated, large-scale actions that directly contribute to mitigation, adaptation, resilience and climate justice. 

The workshop came at a crucial time. In the run-up to COP30, Brazil proposes adjustments to the Global Climate Action Agenda to align national and international commitments to the Paris Agreement. Among these adjustments, Acceleration Plans emerge as key tools to overcome barriers in the implementation of concrete solutions. The “Blue Package”, coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA) and the High Level Climate Champions, was the highlight of the day. 

"We designed this event to bring civil society, academia and government agencies to fill the gaps in the Action Agenda that is being built by the Brazilian presidency of COP30 Brazil within the scope of Ocean and Climate and to bring the necessary demands to COP30," said Ana Paula Prates, Director of Ocean and Coastal Management at MMA. She pointed out that, although the Ocean is the main climate regulator on the planet, it has historically been relegated to the background because it is not included in the Climate Convention. “For the first time, Brazil included actions based on the Ocean in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). This is already a huge breakthrough. We are taking this strengthened ’blue wave' to COP30, with the Ocean appearing cross-sectionally on several agendas. Our goal is that by COP31 or 32, it will become an effective agenda item in global negotiations.” 

During the day, participants mapped synergies between initiatives that work to protect the oceans, discussed financing mechanisms and technical cooperation, and sought ways to remove obstacles to the implementation of solutions. The priorities of traditional Brazilian communities were also addressed, in addition to the need to ensure transparency and monitoring of progress. 

"It was a very important exercise to understand who are the actors involved in this process and how we, tidal and water populations, were able to make the necessary impact so that our demands are present in the dialogues and documents that are being built for COP30," said Gesiane Leite, from the National Commission for the Strengthening of Extractive Reserves and Traditional Coastal and Marine Extractive Peoples and Communities (Confrem). “We were able to organize our agenda and prepare a collective document. Now, the challenge is to strongly get this agenda to the negotiating table. Being at COP does not mean just being present, it means being prepared, with the resources and structure to really focus." 

"This space is important because it paves the way for us to bring the proposals of the water communities, the men and women who historically relate to the Ocean. But it's still not enough. We need to expand listening, ensure the presence of youth, women, and above all recognize these communities as guardians of marine territories," stressed Andrea do Espírito Santo, from the Pastoral Council of Fishermen and Fisherwomen (CPP). “I hope that COP30, held in the sacred territory of the Amazon, will indeed be a process of listening and committing to the peoples of the waters. May it be a great joint effort, a great circle of collective construction, where traditional knowledge is recognized and valued as a way to face the climate crisis." 

Mutirão Azul aims to strengthen the dialogue between different sectors and increase the visibility of national and international solutions based on the Ocean, boosting global climate action. The expectation is to catalyze alliances and concrete commitments so that COP30 becomes a milestone in the integration between Ocean and Climate, with Brazil playing a central role in this global agenda. 

“The ocean is often seen as just a blue expanse. But, in fact, it is full of life, it shelters several industrial and fishing activities — and, above all, it supports entire communities that depend on it to live," highlighted Marina Corrêa, focal point for the Ocean agenda at WWF-Brazil. "Therefore, it is essential that the voice of these people be heard when we talk about climate solutions, so that we can build the future we want as a society." 

“Since COP30 was confirmed in Brazil, we understood that we would have a critical role in raising the importance of the ocean agenda. Therefore, we have actively supported the federal government and the special ocean envoy of COP30, and we have also worked to socialize the understanding of the climate convention processes with civil society and traditional communities,” added Marina. “Only with all these voices together, in a network, will we be able to form this wave — or rather, this marine current — that will take us strengthened to COP30.” 

ATTENTION!

Gesiane Leite, from the National Commission for the Strengthening of Extractive Reserves and Traditional Coastal and Marine Extractive Peoples and Communities (Confrem) 

“We, tidal and water populations, are the first to feel the impacts of climate change — but we are also the first to respond. We need to be recognized as strategic allies, guardians of traditional knowledge that is essential for a healthy ocean.” 

Andrea do Espírito Santo, from the Pastoral Council of Fishermen and Fisherwomen (CPP) 

“Traditional fishing communities remain invisible. They exist in territories now highly threatened by ventures such as oil, mining and wind energy. The ocean has become the new frontier of development. And, for these projects to advance, it is necessary to make invisible those who live and protect these spaces." 

Marina Corrêa, focal point for the Ocean at WWF-Brazil 

“As long as the ocean is not recognized as one of the central pillars for the climate solution — alongside forests — we will continue to ignore solutions that are on 70% of the planet. Our expectation is that COP30 becomes a milestone to strengthen the ambition of this agenda, both by countries and by civil society and the private sector.” 

Ana Paula Prates, Ocean and Coastal Management Director at MMA 

“The ocean has finally entered the climate debate, but the real success of COP30 will be measured by the level of the countries' engagement with the climate goals. Without concrete global action, especially from the big emitters, we will be doomed to failure.” 

HOW WWF-BRAZIL OPERATES  

WWF-Brazil is committed to contributing to the construction of a sustainable future in which the country advances towards emission neutrality, with its biodiversity conserved and driven by a fair, inclusive and responsible development model. Our strategy is structured in four pillars:   

• Zeroing deforestation and fostering Nature-Based Solutions.   
• Strengthening the conservation of biodiversity.    
• Protecting rights and promoting the well-being of traditional peoples and communities.    
• Promoting low-impact development.   

OUR ACTIONS IN THE OCEANS AGENDA 

In 2024, WWF-Brazil reformulated its strategy for the protection of the oceans, expanding actions and raising the theme in government agendas and international forums. The new approach focuses efforts on four main fronts: creation of protected areas, species protection, energy transition and focus on public policies — all aimed at addressing the impacts of the climate crisis. 

In the creation of new marine protected areas, the organization, in partnership with other institutions, operates in the region of the Fernando de Noronha seamounts and Norte Brasileira chains, and of the Abrolhos chains — recognized as the point of greatest biodiversity in the South Atlantic. 

WWF-Brazil also works in the conservation and restoration of corals in the northeastern coast, in addition to fostering scientific research in marine ecosystems. In the energy transition, it defends the phase-out of oil and gas exploration and the advancement of renewable sources with safeguards, supporting the Marine Spatial Planning, an instrument that organizes activities in the coastal zone in a sustainable way. 

On the political front, the institution actively participated in global events such as G20 in Rio de Janeiro, COP29 on Climate in Azerbaijan, and COP16 on Biodiversity in Colombia. Also in 2024, it was elected civil society representative at the National Biodiversity Commission (CONABIO), where it will monitor the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework goals in Brazil.