The European Ocean Act has the potential to set a new course for ocean protection. Scheduled to be presented by the European Commission in late 2026, it is expected to serve as a single legal framework for governance of the European seas. To be effective, the Act must tackle the fossil economy that is driving the triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution.
Meeting that challenge means:
- prohibiting new offshore oil and gas exploration and licensing;
- setting targets to reduce fossil fuel demand and plastic production;
- strengthening controls on hazardous chemicals; and
- avoiding reliance on speculative technologies that risk prolonging fossil fuel dependence
European Union Ocean Act: Tackling the Triple Planetary Crisis examines what the EU Ocean Act must get right to align ocean governance with climate science, human rights, and EU and international law. It identifies the choices that will determine whether the Act addresses the drivers of ocean decline — or leaves them intact.
Read the paper.
(Published June 23, 2026)