Ruto Urges Global Boldness to Safeguard Oceans
Global Leaders Urged to Take Immediate Action for Ocean Conservation
President William Ruto has emphasized the urgent need for global collaboration in protecting the world's oceans. During the 11th edition of the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, he called on nations to intensify their efforts and move beyond political promises to address the growing environmental and economic threats facing marine ecosystems.
Ruto highlighted that political declarations alone are insufficient. He urged governments, development partners, and private sector players to accelerate investments, innovation, and cooperation in safeguarding the oceans. “Commitments without the means to deliver them will never match the urgency or the scale of what the ocean now demands of us,” he said.
The President stressed the importance of unlocking financing, embracing technology, and strengthening governance frameworks to ensure meaningful progress. “We must find new and bolder ways to mobilise finance, deploy technology and innovation, build capacity, and make our existing ocean frameworks work together rather than apart,” he added.
The Ocean’s Role and Its Limitations
Ruto pointed out that while the ocean has played a critical role in cushioning humanity from the worst effects of climate change, its capacity to absorb environmental shocks is being stretched to the limit. “By absorbing 90 per cent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases, and almost a third of our carbon dioxide emissions, it has quietly altered its own chemistry and physics to shield the rest of us,” he said.
However, the ocean can only absorb so much. “Now it is pushing back,” Ruto warned. He outlined several challenges, including rising sea levels, ocean acidification, stronger storms, and widespread marine pollution. These issues are displacing millions in low-lying coasts and islands, corroding the base of the marine food chain, and threatening livelihoods built upon it.
Marine pollution, particularly plastic waste, has become a global crisis affecting ecosystems from coastal waters to the deepest parts of the ocean. According to Ruto, efforts to address these challenges have been hampered by weak political commitment, inadequate financing, slow adoption of technology, and fragmented governance systems.
Recent International Milestones
Despite these challenges, Ruto welcomed recent international milestones aimed at strengthening ocean protection. These include the implementation of the High Seas Treaty and the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. He noted that these agreements provide an important framework for conserving marine biodiversity and promoting sustainable use of ocean resources.
During the conference, participants registered more than 300 new commitments valued at approximately $6.4 billion. Kenya alone made 50 commitments, valued at $1.1 billion, in support of its blue economy. If fully implemented, these commitments would help expand marine protected areas, restore fisheries, reduce pollution, strengthen maritime security, and build sustainable blue economies.
Kenya’s Commitment to Sustainable Development
Ruto emphasized Kenya’s commitment to a model of development that balances conservation with economic growth. This includes offshore renewable energy, sustainable fisheries, circular economies, and inclusive Sustainable Ocean Plans. He urged delegates to ensure that the commitments announced in Mombasa translate into measurable action that protects marine ecosystems while creating opportunities for communities that depend on the ocean for their livelihoods.
“The future of our ocean depends not on what we promise today, but on what we deliver tomorrow,” he said. Ruto concluded by calling for collective responsibility in securing the health and sustainability of the world’s oceans for future generations.
