The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), scheduled for November 10–21, 2025, will take place in Belém, Brazil. It will serve as a pivotal moment for global climate action, focusing on negotiations for climate finance, emissions reductions, and adaptation, and will accelerate progress toward the goals of the Paris Agreement. The conference will bring together world leaders, policymakers, scientists, and civil society to focus on translating climate pledges into action.
The Presidency of COP30 has unveiled the official Thematic Days calendar for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference, to be held in Belém, Pará, from November 10 to 21, 2025. Designed as a catalyst for implementation and inclusion, the program spans more than 30 interconnected themes and offers a clear entry point for global actors to contribute to real-world climate solutions.
- November 17–18 elevate both planetary and community stewardship — centering on Forests, Oceans, and Biodiversity, while spotlighting Indigenous peoples, Local and traditional communities, Children and Youth, and Small and medium entrepreneurs, showcasing inclusive, grounded, and nature-aligned solutions.
Coral reefs exist in over 100 countries and territories, underpinning Earth’s vast marine biodiversity. They provide ecosystem services worth up to $9.9 trillion USD annually and support the livelihoods, well-being, and cultures of nearly 1 billion people.
Yet their survival is threatened by increasing local pressures, compounded by the escalating climate crisis. The ongoing fourth global bleaching event – the most widespread and severe on record – has impacted over 84% of reefs worldwide.
The 2025 Global Tipping Points Report warns the world has passed its first climate tipping point: warm-water coral reefs.
Still, pockets of reef resilience remain. This moment demands not despair, but mobilisation.
This page highlights coral reef events taking place at UNFCCC COP 30, to support global action and #HopeForCoral.
(Last updated: 06/11/2025).
Coral reef events
Cryosphere Tipping Points: Glaciers and Ice Sheets and Sea-level Rise: From Andes to Amazonia
Location: Side event room 4, Blue zone
Time: 15:00 – 16:30
Organised by: Iceland, Climate Policy Center, International Cryosphere Climate Initiative, Karuna Foundation, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), The George Washington University (GWU)
Tides of Transformation: Advancing Equitable Coastal Climate Solutions
Location: Axis 2 Thematic Room
Time: 11:00 – 12:00
Organised by: Mangrove Breakthrough, Saltmarsh Breakthrough, Advancing Coastal Wetlands Conservation Project (Pew), SHE Changes Ocean, Feminist Action for Climate Justice Action Coalition
Shaping our blue future: integrative research to harness marine ecosystems for climate action around the world
Location: Planetary Science Pavilion
Time: 14:30 – 16:00
Organised by: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
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From Brazil to the World: Advancing the Marine Conservation Breakthroughs at COP30
Location: Voices of Ocean House *Invite Only
Time: 19:00 – 23:00
Organised by: High Level Climate Champions, Marrakech Partnership on Ocean & Coastal Zones, Ministry of Environment Brazil, Rare Brazil, WWF Brazil, Conservation International Brazil, Boticario Group Foundation, CONFREM, Ocean & Climate Platform, Global Mangrove Alliance, International Coral Reef Initiative
Coral Reefs at the Climate–Action Frontline: Science, Finance, and Communities for a Resilient Future
Location: Ocean Pavilion
Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Lead Organisations: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Brazil and International Coral Reef Society
Partner Organisations: Coral Reef Rescue Initiative, Boticario Group Foundation, General Organization for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Sea Turtles in the Red Sea (SHAMS) and International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)
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How to be SMART in meeting ocean-climate-societal challenges in a changing landscape
Location: Side event room 8, Blue zone
Time: 16:45 – 18:15
Hosted by: Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), Delta Electronics Foundation, Fondation, BNP Paribas (Fondation BNP Paribas), International Coral Reef Society (ICRS), and Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean Society (POGO)
Protecting Climate-Resilient Coral Reefs: Scaling Commitments & Sharing Stories from the Frontlines
Location: Ocean Pavilion
Time: 15:00 – 16:00
Organised by: Wildlife Conservation Society | Global Fund for Coral Reefs | International Coral Reef Initiative
Ocean events tracker
The Global Ocean Forum, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Ocean Generation, and partners from across the globe are thrilled to welcome all to the COP30 Virtual Ocean Pavilion, which will be open from 3 to 21 November. Register for free to access this virtual platform and experience the many features on offer, including live events and exhibitions, and receive daily updates from the COP in Belém. Are you organising an event related to the ocean at or around COP30? We invite you to register your COP30 ocean-related events in the Ocean Events Tracker. Information gathered through the tracker will be incorporated into a calendar of ocean events accessible through the Virtual Ocean Pavilion.
