Cartoon picture of wave crashing over the capitol building in DC
(Credit: Jim Toomey (Sherman's Lagoon) )

The Ocean Climate Action Plan (OCAP) Media Kit includes social media suggestions, specific talking points and policy recommendations, videos from key supporters who helped to craft the plan, OCAP-related articles, logos, photos, and media contacts.  Learn all about the Ocean Climate Action Coalition! 

THANK YOU SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES for passing the biggest funding package for clean energy and climate solutions in US History!

On August 7, 2022, the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act using the budget reconciliation process to pass $369 billion in energy security and climate change programs over the next ten years. On August 12, 2022, the House of Representatives followed suit. While not perfect, the bill is the best hope we have to address climate change now.  Please take a moment to THANK your legislators for supporting the bill!   We have secured a major step in securing a livable future, healthy ocean, and long-term sustainability and prosperity.   There is much yet to do, but for now we CELEBRATE AND THANK THE OCEAN CLIMATE ACTION COALITION!   THIS IS YOUR WIN! 

Want to learn more about the historic Inflation Reduction Act?  We have some resources to recommend (and for you to re-post on your social media networks):

 

 

 


OCEAN CLIMATE ACTION SOCIAL MEDIA

Feel free to build your own posts, or simply retweet @CBE_MIIS or facebook @CenterForTheBlueEconomy or instagram @OceanClimateAction.

Green tile that shows President Biden and solar panels and wind mill with "The US just passed Historic Climate Action"
(Credit: Courtesy of Evergreen Action )

Thank you Senate + House of Representatives for passing the #InflationReductionAct!  This is a historic win for the #Climate, #CleanEnergy, and the #Oceans!  THANK YOU  @SenateDems and @HouseDems FOR GETTIN’ ‘ER DONE!

Underwater scene with words "Congress Must Take #OceanClimateAction" and overlayed on top "And They Did!"
(Credit: Courtesy of the Inland Ocean Coalition, modified by CBE )

The #InflationReductionAct (#IRA) is a huge step forward to reducing emissions, the most important thing we can do for the ocean. But we can’t stop there. The Biden-Harris Administration must take #OceanClimateAction & protect the communities on the frontlines of the #ClimateCrisis.

Wave over US Capitol Ocean Climate Action logo
(Credit: Jim Toomey, creator of Sherman's Lagoon )
No Water No Life No Blue No Green--Dr. Sylvia Earle
  • Thank you @sylviaearle for these wise words.  Without #OceanHealth, our entire global #WaterCycle is in peril. Without #biodiversity, the #oceans can’t fight #ClimateChange. We must act now for the health of our oceans, rivers, lakes and ourselves. www.oceanclimateaction2022.org
You cannot protect the oceans without solving climate change, and you cannot solve climate change without protecting the oceans--John Kerry
  • Thank you #OceanClimateAction Plan signatory @JohnKerry for your years of activism, pointing out the #OceanClimate connection.  Now is the time to act.  www.oceanclimateaction2022.org

Blue water with white foam and black words "When it comes to climate impacts, every state is a coastal state." Deb Haaland
  • Thank you @DebHaalandNM (now Secretary of the Interior Haaland).  More than 50% of the air we breathe is generated by the #ocean. Inland states economies are tied to the coasts.  #OceanHealth and #Biodiversity are critical for solving the #ClimateCrisis. www.oceanclimateaction2022.org
Congress Must Take (hashtag) Ocean Climate Action (not a quote, declaritive statement)
  • NOW IS THE TIME to make BOLD INVESTMENTS in #CleanEnergy #OffshoreWind #CleanPorts to create #Jobs and the #ClimateCrisis. #ActOnClimate #OceanClimateAction.  www.oceanclimateaction2022.org
Quote from Rep. Joe Cunningham, "The Ocean is the Lifeblood of our Planet" against an ocean wave
  • Thank you @JoeCunninghamSC.  The #Ocean<>#ClimateChange>>#GlobalWarming is affecting #OceanHealth and without a thriving ocean, all life systems are in peril.   #ActOnClimate #OceanClimateAction     www.oceanclimateaction2022.org

A wetland with white words over image talking about how important seagrass and marshes are for sinking carbon, cooling the planet, and guarding from storm surge
  • #Oceans, #Wetlands, #Mangroves sink 1/4 to 1/3 of annual CO2 emissions, but the #ClimateCrisis is changing the temperature and chemistry of global oceans—we must address the root causes of #ClimateChange and restore #OceanHealth and #NatureBasedSolutions as key solutions.  #OceanClimateAction  www.oceanclimateaction2022.org
Offshore wind turbines in a choppy sea
  • The US has significant wind resources that can provide #Renewable electricity for the nation, low-cost power, and #energy independence. #OceanClimateAction2021.  #ActOnClimate!  www.oceanclimateaction2022.org

This must be a turning point and we must listen to our planet and act now--quote from Sec. Deb Haaland
  • Thank you @DebHaalandNM for this #wisdom.  The #ClimateCrisis is the existential threat of our times. We must move post-disaster $ into pre-disaster planning! Fund a #ClimateCorp to create job$ and #JustTransition to #OceanClimateAction2021 We must #ActOnClimate! www.oceanclimateaction2022.org
Hurricane Sandy Marblehead Massachusets
  • #Storms and #Flooding are increasing with #ClimateChange. We must PLAN NOW for #ClimateReality. #ActOnClimate #OceanClimateAction www.oceanclimateaction2022.org

(Side note:  This photo is of Hurricane Sandy, the deadliest and most destructive, as well as the strongest, hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. Inflicting nearly $70 billion (2012 USD) in damage, it was the second-costliest hurricane on record in the United States until surpassed by Hurricanes Harvey and Maria in 2017. source: Wikipedia)

Quote from Senator Jeff Merkly "We can and are spoiling this treasure and we have to do everything we can to fight back" agains ocean scene with surfer
  • Thank you @SenJeffMerkley. NOW IS THE TIME to #ActOnClimate—the #ClimateCrisis is the #OceanCrisis—We must move away from fossil fuels, creating #Infrastructure for #CleanEnergy #Jobs and a #JustTransition.    www.oceanclimateaction2022.org
Quote from Rep. Joe Cunningham, "The Ocean is the Lifeblood of our Planet" against an ocean wave
  • Thank you @JoeCunninghamSC.  The #Ocean<>#ClimateChange>>#GlobalWarming is affecting #OceanHealth and without a thriving ocean, all life systems are in peril.  #ActOnClimate #OceanClimateAction www.oceanclimateaction2022.org
The cover page of the Ocean Climate Action Plan, a blue world on a blue background
  • #OffshoreRenewable #WaveEnergy #TidalEnergy, #ThermalEnergy with strict life-cycle and impact standards address the #ClimateCrisis for a #JustTransition and #Jobs.  #ActOnClimate #OceanClimateAction  #CleanOceanEnergy. www.oceanclimateaction2022.org
Cartoon picture of wave crashing over the capitol building in DC
(Credit: Jim Toomey (Sherman's Lagoon) )

Ocean Climate Action Large Logo

Need a bigger image to use or size to your specs? This graphic created by Jim Toomey (creator of Sherman’s Lagoon cartoon series) is our main Ocean Climate Action logo.  To download the graphic, click here:  Ocean Climate Action logo (1536x1152). 

Where to Find Ocean Climate Action Co-Leads (Center for the Blue Economy and Blue Frontier) on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and the Web

A purple and red/yellow box made to look something like a camera

@OceanClimateAction

@BlueFrontierCampaign


 


VIDEOS

Youth for Ocean Climate Action

Georgia led youth make the connection between the ocean and climate change, and ask the public for action! 
 

How Adaptation Gets Done--The Miami Beach Story

Ms. Elizabeth Wheaton, Director of the Environment and Sustainability Department for the City of Miami Beach describes her city’s innovative adaptation actions. She spoke as part of the Ocean Climate Action Webinar, held April 29, 2020, hosted by the Center for the Blue Economy and Blue Frontier.

How to Fix the Broken Flood Insurance Program

Mr. Frank Nutter, President of the Reinsurrance Association of America presents ideas that can save the National Flood Insurance Program from insolvency, and make it truly responsive to community need. He spoke as part of the Ocean Climate Action Webinar, held April 29, 2020, hosted by the Center for the Blue Economy and Blue Frontier.

California State Controller Betty Yee Tells It Like It Is

Betty Yee speaks frankly about the ocean and the economy at the October 2019 meeting of the Ocean Climate Action Plan Summit, hosted by the Center for the Blue Economy at the Middlebury Institute and Blue Frontier.     

Three Minutes of Blue New Deal Inspiration

Watch highlights from a few of our keynote speakers who helped to open the Ocean Climate Action Webinar.   Three minutes of inspiration to spark a movement.

Full Video from the Ocean Climate Action Webinar, April 29, 2020

Want to see a certain section or speaker?  Click this OCAP webinar navigation document for start & end times of each section, and click on the names in the document for bio links of speakers.  

The Role of Blue Carbon in Climate Change Impacts

This news story by KPBS in San Diego features one of our partners, WildCoast, in our fight to bring ocean climate legislation to the national fore in 2021.   It defines blue carbon and how it can help defend against the effects of climate change.  Blue carbon is a part of the coastal adaptation recommendations in the Ocean Climate Action Plan, a non-partisan policy paper co-created by the Center for the Blue Economy, Blue Frontier, and our partner organizations. 


OCAP IN THE MEDIA


Dani Washington and David Helvarg--two ocean activists

Rising Tide Podcasts from Blue Frontier

Podcasts, blogs, news articles and books from the Blue Frontier, click here:  Rising Tide Podcasts & Blue News


BLUE ECONOMY AND OCEAN IMAGES—PUBLIC DOMAIN


Ocean Climate Action Plan Background

On March 13th, 2019, David Helvarg of the Blue Frontier and Jason Scorse of the Center for the Blue Economy wrote “Putting the Blue in the Green New Deal,” an opinion piece in the scientific magazine Mongabay.   The two ocean-focused non-profit organizations realized that they were uniquely positioned to act as conveners who could bring together thought leaders to refine and expand the initial ideas into the Ocean Climate Action Plan.   A meeting of California leaders was convened on October 18th—more about that meeting can be found here:  The Ocean Climate Action Summit—California Meeting.   

On January 13th, 2020, the first consensus draft of the Ocean Climate Action Plan was released (based on comments from our Oct.18 meeting in California). After a comment period, the second draft was released on March 12th, 2020.

On Wednesday, April 29th, 2020, the two organizations hosted a webinar that looked in depth at the issues addressed by the Ocean Climate Action Plan.  After introductory remarks by Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Congresswoman Deb Haaland of New Mexico, Congressman Joe Cunningham of South Carolina, and Ms. Franceska De Oro, youth activist from Guam, we spent one hour on each of the four parts of the plan. (Full webinar video and guide to sections and speakers above).  The final plan took into consideration the 100 questions and comments raised during the webinar, and we encouraged the public to give further feedback on Draft #2.

The final draft of the Ocean Climate Action Plan was published on July 13th, 2020.  Next began the process of translating the final recommendations into legislative and policy language at the state and federal levels. Much of the OCAP recommendations were adopted into the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act, HR8632. 

On April 14, 2021, in one of the largest and certainly most timely Ocean lobbies in U.S. history, over 300 people from more than 30 states and territories met with 107+ Members of the House of Representatives and their staff, and 33+ Senators and staff.  Over 150 virtual meetings took place on Ocean Climate Action Lobby Day!  The coalition (many of whose members had never visited with their elected representatives before) sent a clear message to our national policymakers:  you cannot solve the climate crisis without ocean health, and ocean health is key to solving the climate crisis.

We will continue to build the broad coalition and constituency needed to support ocean climate bills in the U.S. Congress. This will include a media campaign, opinion pieces, and your support spreading the message from sea to shining sea.

Our goal is strong local and federal ocean-climate policy signed into law as soon as possible. The climate emergency is an ocean emergency.  There is no time to waste.


The Ocean Climate Action Plan Team

The development of the Ocean Climate Action plan was a collaboration between the Center for the Blue Economy and Blue Frontier, with considerable input from the Youth Advisory Council.  The two organizations acted as conveners bringing together more than 800 people to give input into the final recommendations.  Read more about OCAP team by clicking the links below.

Center for the Blue Economy logo--a shield with the world, a book, and a  historic building on the campus of the Middlebury Inst of Intl. Studies in Monterey

Center for the Blue Economy (CBE)

Our mission at the Center for the Blue Economy is to promote a sustainable, resilient ocean and coastal economy (the “Blue Economy”) through leadership in research, analysis, and education. 

To download the CBE LOGO, click here:  Center for the Blue Economy logo

Blue Frontier Logo--a black/white hand upright in the "power" fist, holding green seaweed--with subheader "seaweed rebel"

Blue Frontier

Blue Frontier is a national leader in providing resources and opportunities to bring citizens who care about the health of our coasts and ocean into the decision making process.

To download the BLUE FRONTIER LOGO, click here:  Blue Frontier logo


OCAP MEDIA CONTACTS

David Helvarg, Director, Blue Frontier

Helvarg@bluefront.org

202-491-6296

Jason Scorse, Director, Center for the Blue Economy

Jscorse@miis.edu

831-239-2333

Be Part of the Solution!