• Mexico launches its Sustainable Ocean Plan, the country's main national planning tool for sustainable management of seas and coasts, which will guide public policy in this area
• The Plan turns international commitments into tangible actions, aligned with the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, and the Global Biodiversity Framework
• Strategic partnerships and innovative financing will drive implementation, with participation from the public and private sectors

Mexico takes a historic step in protecting and sustainably using its marine heritage with the launch of its Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP), the main national planning tool that will guide the country's public policy for the comprehensive management of seas and coasts.

Published yesterday in the Official Journal of the Federation, the plan-formally called the National Policy for Sustainable Management of Mexico's Seas and Coasts-establishes a long-term vision that converts the country's international commitments into measurable, coordinated actions aligned with the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Mexico adopted the SOP after joining the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, a multilateral initiative of 19 leading countries that committed to sustainably manage 100% of their marine areas. The Interministerial Commission for the Sustainable Management of Seas and Coasts (CIMARES) determined that updating the National Policy on Seas and Coasts would serve as the country's Sustainable Ocean Plan.

The Plan is the result of more than two years of technical and interinstitutional work, plus an unprecedented consultation process with various sectors. It addresses strategic topics including sustainable fishing and aquaculture, blue tourism, conservation and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems, and strengthening ocean science and knowledge. The Plan is organized into 6 objectives, 17 strategies, and 91 lines of action, with clear goals and defined timelines.

Globally, Sustainable Development Goal 14 "Life Below Water" remains the least funded despite its importance to life on the planet, receiving less than 1% of total SDG financing. In response, the Policy includes an innovative financing strategy that recognizes the crucial role of non-governmental actors and the private sector in mobilizing resources and closing the financial gap in the ocean agenda.

With this announcement, Mexico reaffirms its regional and international leadership as one of the first countries with a comprehensive ocean-planning tool, recognizing the ocean's key role in environmental protection, economic development, and community wellbeing. Mexico also reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation, and collective action to progress toward a healthy, productive, and resilient ocean.