Key ocean and climate moments of 2025 have shown that proactive communications grounded in powerful storytelling and guided by specialist insight can deliver results even within a volatile political landscape. Beyond one-off moments and wins, growing global recognition of key campaigns was driven by sustained and coordinated efforts from networks of dedicated communicators, campaigners and partners built over many years. At Communications INC, we are proud to have built campaign success through deep expertise and commitment, using storytelling to maximise opportunities and drive momentum.
Our Year In Review charts some of the milestone moments of 2025, but to delve a little deeper into how they combined to move us forward, we can look at three key shifts in momentum:
A Turning Point for the High Seas Treaty
First, and arguably the most seismic ocean development of 2025, was reaching the 60 ratifications needed for the High Seas Treaty to enter into force. This milestone was reached on the margins of the UN General Assembly, exactly two years after we launched the High Seas Alliance’s ‘Race for Ratification’ campaign when the Treaty first opened for signature in September 2023. Ahead of the 60-ratification threshold being reached, Comms INC coordinated a press briefing attended by over 60 media outlets, which generated more than 640 articles mentioning the High Seas Alliance, with coverage spanning titles including Associated Press, Financial Times, El País, Le Monde, and The New York Times. The ratification milestone was described by UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres as a “historic achievement”, declaring that “in two years, States have turned commitment into action – proving what is possible when nations unite for the common good.”
However, while the two-year ratification campaign was a whirlwind of high-profile events, urgency and friendly competition, driven by the Treaty Ratification Tracker and a charismatic octopus mascot, the story began long before 2023. Comms INC has worked with and supported the High Seas Alliance since 2011, leading and managing all campaign communications through years of complex negotiations. Once it enters into force, the Treaty will at last be able to protect biodiversity in the High Seas through a new network of marine protected areas, better management of industrial activities, and greater ocean equity. The success of the Race for Ratification was not only a major win for ocean governance, but it demonstrated the power of clear, consistent, and aligned messaging with organisations and partners committing to shared narratives around a common goal over many years.
Deep-sea Mining in the Spotlight
In 2025, the threat of deep-sea mining captured international attention like never before. Comms INC has worked with the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) since 2006, providing 360o strategic communications and campaign support. In the first months of 2025, ahead of the International Seabed Authority’s March meeting, we hosted an online media briefing, supporting around 13,000 media articles mentioning the deep sea, and around 690 articles specifically referencing the DSCC, including coverage in AP News, NYT, Newsweek, Euronews, ABC, France24, Le Monde and El País. This heightened media interest meant deep-sea mining was already firmly in the public eye when it was thrust further into the spotlight by President Trump’s provocative Executive Order, aimed at ‘Unleashing America’s offshore critical minerals and resources’. This move helped to galvanise international support for the DSCC’s campaign for a moratorium on the industry.
Two months later, deep-sea mining was a hot topic at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice. While the UN Secretary General warned in his opening address that “the deep sea cannot become the Wild West”, President Macron called the prospect of deep-sea mining “madness” and the industry itself “predatory”. This unprecedented political and media attention led to a surge in support for a moratorium in the second half of 2025, with 40 countries now officially calling for a halt to this destructive activity. The momentum illustrated the value of evidence-based messaging tailored to key audiences, ensuring that when the political moment arrived, audiences were already informed, engaged and ready to respond.
UNOC3 and the change in the ocean communications landscape
The breakthrough conference last June, the biggest ever global gathering of leaders and stakeholders for the ocean, featured specific events dedicated to ocean comms and literacy, and saw a clear transition towards more people-focused, narrative and visual storytelling. Several events emphasised the growing recognition that strategic communication is part of the essential infrastructure for ocean action, not an afterthought.
Communications INC is proud to be a part of this shift. Through our Advancing Strategic Ocean Communications project, we have convened a network of over 700 communicators and led the co-creation of 45 Better Practice Principles, delivered several skills-sharing webinars, and collaborated with multiple partners to elevate strategic communication onto high-level agendas. Our experiences in 2025 reinforced what we have long known: if you want a story to resonate, start with people and real experiences. The ocean and climate community doesn’t need more jargon and statements; it needs more stories, strategy and urgency.
In 2026, we are increasingly communicating against the backdrop of an ever-changing geopolitical and media landscape, global temperature rise, and fast-approaching deadlines for international commitments. In November 2025, global temperatures were 1.54oC above pre-industrial levels and the three-year average for 2023-25 is expected to exceed 1.5 °C for the first time, making the chance of achieving the Paris Agreement to limit long-term global warming to 1.5 °C seem increasingly challenging, alongside the Global Biodiversity Framework pledge to protect 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030. January 2026 marks the start of the five-year home stretch, and currently, less than 10% of the ocean is protected.
As we look ahead, our focus is on refining communications and campaign strategies to ensure that the attention and momentum of 2025 carries through 2026 and beyond, and translates into real, lasting impact for the ocean and climate. Against a shifting geopolitical backdrop, this means going beyond advocacy alone to use communications more deliberately, building audience insight, sharpening messaging, and using storytelling to help people understand and engage with evolving forms of cooperation across sectors and nations, as well as shared solutions for ocean and climate action.