Ocean Community at the World Ocean Summit 2026 in Montreal

In early March 2026, Ocean Community participated in the World Ocean Summit in Montreal, one of the most influential global gatherings dedicated to ocean sustainability and the blue economy. Representing Ocean Community were our president Susanne Wedin Schildt and Rimmie Duraisamy, our OC Innovate Program Director.

Organised by Economist Impact, the summit brought together a global network of decision-makers to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the ocean economy in the coming decades. The agenda reflected the breadth of the ocean challenge: from decarbonising shipping and transforming fisheries management to advancing marine renewable energy, financing conservation, and scaling technological innovation.

A Global Ocean Agenda

The summit addressed a wide range of critical themes central to the future of the ocean economy:

• Shipping decarbonisation, examining how the maritime sector can accelerate its transition toward net-zero emissions.

• Responsible aquaculture, exploring how seafood production can expand while minimising environmental impact.

• Fisheries reform, focusing on sustainable stock management, fair livelihoods, and the elimination of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

• Marine renewable energy, highlighting technological progress in offshore wind, wave and tidal energy as part of the global energy transition.

• Sustainable coastal tourism, investigating how tourism can evolve toward regenerative models that restore ecosystems while supporting local economies.

• Plastic pollution, addressing the urgent need to move from commitments to measurable reduction and circular solutions.

• Marine protected areas, evaluating progress toward the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030.

• Marine biodiversity and nature-based solutions, recognising the role of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses and reefs in climate resilience and carbon sequestration.

• Blue finance, exploring how to mobilise capital for ocean solutions while delivering economic returns and community benefits.

• Innovation, data and AI, demonstrating how emerging technologies can support better ocean governance and decision-making.

  
  

Together, these discussions reinforced a central message: The ocean economy is undergoing a profound transformation, and coordinated global action is essential to ensure that economic growth aligns with ocean health.

Leadership Voices from Around the World

The summit opened with high-level contributions from global leaders addressing the geopolitical, technological, and governance dimensions of ocean stewardship.

A keynote address from President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau emphasised the importance of democratising ocean technology to support implementation of the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement). For many Small Island Developing States, effective ocean governance requires not only legal frameworks but also access to interoperable technologies, data systems, and scientific capacity.

Another keynote by Jelta Wong, Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources of Papua New Guinea, highlighted the concept of blue security, reflecting the growing need for stronger surveillance, scientific cooperation, and governance to protect marine resources in an era of climate change and geopolitical complexity.

Throughout the day, panels and workshops explored topics ranging from disaster resilience in coastal economies to the challenge of illegal fishing and the integration of ocean risks into financial decision-making.

From Commitments to Implementation

Several discussions focused on the persistent gap between global commitments and real-world implementation.

Sessions on plastic pollution, marine conservation finance, and ocean governance underscored the difficulty of translating international pledges into effective policy, financing mechanisms, and scalable solutions. Participants stressed the need for stronger accountability frameworks, improved science-policy interfaces, and innovative financing structures that channel resources toward communities, conservation initiatives, and ocean-focused startups.

Another key theme was the role of innovation clusters and cross-border collaboration in accelerating ocean solutions. The summit highlighted how connecting regional innovation ecosystems can help scale technologies, attract investment, and expand the global impact of ocean entrepreneurship.

Innovation and the Next Generation of Ocean Solutions

The summit also showcased emerging innovations through dedicated sessions highlighting early-stage technologies and entrepreneurial initiatives.

From smart fishing gear and digital ocean monitoring systems to nature-based restoration approaches and marine renewable energy technologies, innovators demonstrated how science, engineering, and data are transforming the possibilities for ocean stewardship.

The Ocean Changemaker Challenge celebrated several promising early-stage ventures working to address ocean sustainability challenges, illustrating the growing role of entrepreneurship in driving practical solutions. The Ocean Startup Project also added even more spotlight on Canadian founders and startups in a side event leading up the the Summit.

Ocean Community’s Perspective

For Ocean Community, participation in the World Ocean Summit reaffirmed the importance of global collaboration across sectors and geographies.

The discussions reflected many of the same priorities that drive Ocean Community’s work: strengthening ocean literacy, supporting innovators and entrepreneurs, connecting ecosystems of knowledge and action, and helping accelerate solutions that protect and regenerate the ocean.

Events such as the World Ocean Summit play an essential role in bringing together policymakers, investors, scientists, industry leaders and civil society organisations. However, the real impact will depend on what happens between these gatherings: the partnerships formed, the projects launched, and the innovations brought to scale.

Canada Ocean Super Cluster is an inspiration, as we continue to focus on ecosystem building in Portugal, Sweden, Nordics, Izmir, Europe and beyond.

Looking Ahead

As momentum builds toward the 2027 World Ocean Summit in Jordan, the message from Montreal was clear: the next decade will be decisive for the ocean.

Achieving meaningful progress will require not only stronger policies and investment, but also collaboration, innovation, and leadership across the global ocean community.

Ocean Community remains committed to playing its part in this collective effort, working with partners worldwide to accelerate solutions for a thriving, sustainable ocean.