The world’s oceans are increasingly fraught with tension. Shipping lanes are blocked, seabed cables and pipelines sabotaged, migrants risk perilous sea passages, fish populations collapse, and coastlines are battered by climate change. Yet focusing only on these threats misses a vital opportunity. The ocean can also serve as a platform for proactive peacebuilding.
Ocean peacebuilding uses scientific collaboration, sustainable resource management, and conservation initiatives to prevent conflict and foster trust between nations. Even amid geopolitical tensions, this approach has shown measurable success. Its impact can be seen through three key strategies: connecting nations, setting shared rules, and rebuilding trust.
Connecting Nations Through Shared Seas
Cross-border collaboration can break down stereotypes and foster a shared sense of humanity. In the Gulf of Mexico, for instance, a hundred miles of water separate the Florida Keys from Cuba, with decades of diplomatic tension. Yet marine species, from coral larvae to migratory fish, traverse these waters without regard for borders.
In the 2000s, marine biologists from Cuba, Mexico, and the U.S. began exchanging data and coordinating conservation efforts despite strained diplomatic relations. After U.S.-Cuba relations thawed in 2014, this cooperation became formalized through the “Redgolfo” network of marine protected areas, creating a foundation of trust that extended to political dialogue.
Setting Shared Standards for Sustainable Seas
Norms and standards provide a lasting framework for peace. In 2018, fourteen heads of state launched the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, committing to sustainably manage 100% of their marine jurisdictions by 2025. These plans emphasized inclusive consultation, Indigenous knowledge, and scientific guidance, demonstrating that shared rules can align national priorities with collective ecological stewardship.
Rebuilding Trust in Post-Conflict Regions
Ocean-focused initiatives can also strengthen post-conflict stability. In Indonesia’s Aceh province, a devastating 2004 tsunami struck after decades of armed conflict. The disaster catalyzed peace negotiations and led to regional cooperation on tsunami early warning systems. By improving safety and wellbeing, ocean science initiatives helped restore trust in public institutions and reinforced social cohesion.
Lessons and Limitations
Ocean cooperation is not a magic solution. During the Cold War, the U.S. and USSR collaborated on oceanographic research through the Polymode program, sharing vessels and data. Yet the initiative collapsed when broader political tensions escalated. History shows that while ocean collaboration sustains dialogue and mutual interests, it cannot fully prevent war.
Still, the approach offers tangible benefits: protecting ecosystems, promoting sustainable resource use, and keeping diplomatic channels open. In Northern Ireland, cross-border institutions managing shared marine ecosystems have contributed to lasting stability, illustrating the potential of ocean-based peacebuilding.
While it cannot end all conflicts, ocean peacebuilding can prevent new disputes from arising and reduce the risk of old ones reigniting. By treating the ocean as a space for cooperation rather than confrontation, nations can turn shared ecological interests into a bridge for long-term stability.
With information from Reuters.
