MOCOR Launch at MOS26 — "Time for the World to Get Serious About Financing the Ocean"

"Hugely impressed by the commitment of Pacific Island Leaders and representatives to the Melanesian Ocean Summit's launch of MOCOR (Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves)."

Time for the world to get serious about financing the preservation of the planet's greatest natural asset — the Ocean.

The Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves (MOCOR) was launched at the inaugural Melanesian Ocean Summit 2026 (MOS26) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The corridor represents a landmark transboundary commitment by Melanesian nations — joined by Indonesia and Australia — to establish a connected network of marine protected areas spanning some of the most biodiverse waters on Earth.

What MOCOR aims to deliver

• A formally recognised cross-border Melanesian Ocean Corridor of marine reserves
• National and transboundary marine protection targets aligned with the global 30 × 30 framework
• Joint governance mechanisms, mapped priority areas, and active cross-border MPA management
• Sustainable financing mechanisms aligned with performance milestones

The launch was supported by partners including the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Friends of Ocean Action, SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme), the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, and the broader Pacific Islands community.

Mr. Thomson's call places the spotlight squarely on ocean finance — the urgent need to scale up multi-donor trust funds, private and philanthropic capital, and predictable long-term financing for ocean conservation that survives political cycles.

Source: Peter Thomson — LinkedIn