Today on World Oceans Day (08 June), COBSEA releases a 2-minute video, “What Are OECMs – And Why Do They Matter?” to promote and recognize the role that Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure (OECM) plays in protecting our ocean.
In alignment with this year's theme, "REIMAGINE: Beyond the world we know, a new relationship with our ocean", this launch invites us to look at conservation through a completely fresh lens, beyond traditional protected areas, and reimagine how we coexist with the ocean.
Under the “30x30” target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, only 10% of the marine realm is currently covered by protected areas3, which means an additional 20% of coastal and marine areas still need to be conserved. Accelerating OECMs is a critical way to fill this gap by recognizing the conservation in areas outside protected reserves that are managed in ways that achieve long-term protection for biodiversity.
This video highlights the flexibility of OECMs in terms of goals, ownership, and management by communities, indigenous peoples, private companies, governments, and beyond. Such areas can range from a community mangrove forest protecting a village to a coral reef spawning ground. By connecting existing protected areas, OECMs create a stronger, more resilient network for marine life.
This outreach initiative builds on COBSEA’s ongoing regional efforts, including a knowledge sharing and exchange workshop on OECMs in the East Asian Seas held in August 2025. During the workshop, a draft guidance document on OECMs was discussed and developed with countries and experts. This guidance document has now been finalized and will soon be officially released as a practical toolkit for regional action.
To watch the COBSEA OECM video, please visit: https://youtu.be/dI-pNh8HeSo
Stay tuned for the official release of COBSEA's upcoming guidance document.
Acknowledgements:
The OECM guidance document, video, and learning exchange in the East Asian Seas is funded by the UNEP Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Unit (MCEU) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the UNEP Biodiversity and Land Degradation Unit.
