UNOC Pavilion #ForCoral Panel

Ocean Frontiers at Risk: Fossil Fuel Expansion Threats to Biodiversity Hotspots and Climate Stability

United Nations Oceans Conference

June 12, 2025 - 3:45p Central European Summer Time

#ForCoral pavilion, La Baleine, Parv. de l'Europe, 06000 Nice, France

Offshore fossil fuel projects are booming, surpassing new onshore projects in both financing and scale. Despite urgent global calls to phase out fossil fuels and meet climate targets, governments and corporations continue to invest trillions of dollars into expanding oil and gas infrastructure. This expansion poses a critical threat to marine biodiversity, local ecosystems, global climate safety and the livelihoods of coastal communities. 

Earth Insight and its partners will present a new report analyzing and visualizing the threats posed by future offshore and coastal oil and gas projects to marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Much of this expansion is advancing in frontier regions: underexplored areas with significant potential for oil, gas, or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) development. The report presents 11 case studies from around the world, spotlighting the environmental and social risks associated with these projects, as well as the growing resistance from frontline communities, Indigenous peoples, and civil society organizations.

A panel of civil society experts from the threatened regions will discuss the report’s findings and explore how data analysis and community engagement can defend our oceans and coasts.