US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has said the United States is working at home and abroad to advance marine protected areas and reach the global 30×30 goal to conserve or protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. 

"Through the Ocean Conservation Pledge, we encourage countries to achieve 30×30 in their own waters," he said in a message marking the World Ocean Day that falls on June 8. 

The US called on all countries, organizations, and individuals to join them in taking bold actions to protect ocean. 

"Together, we can ensure a sustainable future for our planet, safeguard marine biodiversity, and secure the livelihoods of communities that depend on a healthy ocean," Blinken said.

With the new High Seas Treaty, countries will have a way to work together to establish marine protected areas in places beyond national jurisdiction – a critical part of their collective efforts to safeguard the health and resilience of our ocean, he said.

Recognizing the impacts of climate change on ocean, including sea level rise, ocean warming, and acidification, Blinken said, they are taking decisive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support ocean-based climate solutions. 

"We are supporting initiatives to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and marine ecosystems through President Biden’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience and collaborating with island and coastal communities to implement adaptation measures like early warning systems," he said.

The Secretary of State said they are actively working to tackle the challenge of plastic pollution in the marine environment and are promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture – central to food security and economic development around the world – while working to combat the challenge of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. 

"We are also putting the ocean at the center of our Atlantic diplomacy with the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, collaborating with 38 coastal countries to promote and support sustainable blue economies, marine conservation, and scientific capacity building and exchange," he mentioned.

Joining the global community in celebrating World Ocean Day, the United States reaffirmed its dedication to safeguarding the ocean through concrete actions and international cooperation. 

"We must seek ambitious and innovative solutions now if we are to tackle the many challenges facing coastal communities and marine ecosystems," Blinken said.

Meanwhile, in a joint statement, High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius said, "Oceans are vital for life on Earth, playing a crucial role in climate regulation, providing more oxygen than all forests combined and being paramount in addressing pressing global challenges, such as food security, energy and fast-tracking green transition"

Ocean temperatures, however, have never been higher and marine life is disappearing at an unprecedented pace, putting the world at risk, they said.

"Our oceans, functioning as our planet's greatest carbon sink, cannot wait for the reversal of dramatic developments, and neither can we," reads the joint statement.

On 19 June 2023, a historic Agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in the high seas, known as the BBNJ Agreement, was adopted.

With the European Parliament's vote on 24 April, the EU is one step closer to the Agreement's ratification.

"The task ahead is now to reach the number of sixty ratifications of the Agreement for it to enter into force and we can proceed to its effective implementation. Our objective is to make this happen by the June 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in France," they said.

"The EU is taking action. Ocean sustainability is a priority of the EU's green diplomacy," they mentioned.

At the 9th Our Ocean Conference held in Greece, earlier this year, the EU made 40 new commitments for a safe, secure, clean, healthy and sustainably managed ocean adding up to some €3.5 billion from various EU funds, the highest EU contribution since the start of the Our Ocean Conferences a decade ago.

"Our engagement remains rooted on the principles of dialogue, partnership and solidarity with our partners around the globe," they said.

Looking ahead, strengthening the nexus between oceans and climate change remains a priority for the EU, according to the joint statement.

The EU also seeks to expand the scope of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean and advocates for an ambitious outcome of the negotiations on an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

"Protecting our oceans is a shared responsibility and only the implementation of global solutions, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the BBNJ Agreement, can contribute to this," they said.