eNews
#06 2025
Ocean20: Giving civil society, industry and business a voice on the issue of a global sustainable ocean
By Melissa Philander, Nicole du Plessis and Tammy Morris, NRF-SAEON
The NRF-SAEON Egagasini Node successfully handed over a joint statement and the presidency of the G20’s social engagement, Ocean20, to the USA. This follows a busy year in which Ocean20 played an important role in giving civil society, industry and business a voice on the issue of a global sustainable ocean within the G20.
Ocean20 strengthened and consolidated the presence of the ocean within the G20 throughout the year, leading to key roles during the G20 Social Summit which saw the G20 Social Summit Declaration handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ocean20 South Africa Summit
The Ocean20 Summit (see programme) was held at The Avenue, Waterfront, Cape Town in November. The event represented the culmination of all the stakeholder engagements throughout the year. The Summit proceedings were facilitated by Yanga Malotana (University of Pretoria; SA IORAG early-career professional representative).
Taking the opportunity to showcase ocean art and culture, the event commenced with a powerful performance titled The Soul’s Journey, delivered in isiZulu by Mpume Mthombeni (Empatheatre), reminding attendees of South Africa’s deep cultural and spiritual ties to the ocean. Throughout the venue, artworks from Blue Schools learners, Agulhas crochet artists and the OKEANO All-Atlantic Photo Competition winners highlighted the ocean as a place of identity, memory and collective imagination.
The Ocean20 Celebration Tapestry was commissioned by the Keiskamma Trust Art Project to memorialise South Africa’s G20 presidency, the first on African soil.
A powerful performance titled The Soul’s Journey, delivered in isiZulu by Mpume Mthombeni, reminded attendees of South Africa’s deep cultural and spiritual ties to the ocean.
Artworks from Blue Schools learners, Agulhas crochet artists and the OKEANO All-Atlantic Photo Competition winners, highlighted the ocean as a place of identity, memory and collective imagination.
Following the performance, the Summit was formally opened with remarks from Dr Tamaryn Morris, Ocean20 Co-Chair, who reflected on the journey since the April 2025 launch and the progress made in advancing the ocean space through national engagement, partnerships and strengthened regional collaboration. Her message set the tone for a Summit focused on inclusion, evidence-based action and co-creation.
Emphasising the Ocean20 focus on action, the day continued with an interactive Future Thinking workshop led by Prof. Laura Pereira (WITS University), where participants explored “seeds”, the ideas and innovations already emerging today, and worked in groups to imagine how these could shape different ocean futures. The session encouraged reflection on how current decisions may play out over time and what actions could be taken now to ensure a healthier, more resilient ocean. The day ended with an informal networking reception, allowing participants to strengthen connections across sectors and regions.
The Ocean20 South Africa Summit was formally opened with remarks from Dr Tamaryn Morris, Ocean20 Co-Chair.
During an interactive Future Thinking workshop led by Prof. Laura Pereira, participants explored “seeds”, the ideas and innovations already emerging today, and worked in groups to imagine how these could shape different ocean futures.
Attending the Ocean20 South Africa Summit were (from left): Dr Gilbert Siko (DSTI), Dr Tamaryn Morris (NRF-SAEON), Dr Diane Foster (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA) and Imraan Patel (DSTI)
G20 Social Summit
The Ocean20 Summit did not signal the end for Ocean20 South Africa as the group participated in the planning for the G20 Social Summit and input to the G20 Social Summit Declaration, carrying the voices of the ocean stakeholders into the broader G20 platform.
The G20 Social Summit opened on 18 November with an official plenary addressed by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who emphasised the importance of social dialogue, equality and multilateral collaboration under South Africa’s G20 Presidency. Senior government representatives, engagement groups and civil society organisations gathered to set the stage for three days of discussions on social, environmental and economic priorities.
The NRF-SAEON science engagement team again showcased artwork from the Blue Schools programme, using scholar-created artwork to highlight how the next generation perceives the ocean’s value and vulnerability. This exhibition attracted significant interest and demonstrated the role of early ocean literacy in building long-term stewardship.
The second day focused on intensive thematic discussions facilitated by the various G20 social engagement groups. These sessions covered priority areas under the themes Digital Inclusion and Equitable Transformation; Resilience & Inclusive Value Chains; Inclusive Climate Justice, a Just Transition and Energy Democracy; A Just and Sustainable Finance and International Financial Architecture; and Building Momentum for the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063.
The Ocean20 team also hosted a second Ocean Future Visioning session with Prof. Laura Pereira, inviting a new group of participants and generating fresh perspectives on how the ocean could feature in different future scenarios.
The NRF-SAEON team behind the Ocean20 South Africa Summit. From left: Dr Tamaryn Morris, Nicole du Plessis, Melissa Philander and Safiyya Sedick.
The Summit concluded with a high-level closing session during which Dr Tamaryn Morris presented the final Ocean20 Communiqué.
A key highlight was the leadership demonstrated by the Ocean20 co-leads. Dr Tamaryn Morris co-moderated Thematic Area 3: Inclusive Climate Justice, a Just Transition and Energy Democracy, helping shape discussions around community-centred climate action and sustainable transitions. Nicole du Plessis co-moderated Thematic Area 5: Accelerating Momentum for the SDGs and Agenda 2063. She also later co-led the wrap-up session on the final Social Summit Declaration.
The final day of the Summit centred on the formal handover of the G20 Social Summit Declaration to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Dr Tamaryn Morris represented Ocean20 in the handover to the President. The Declaration reflected the collective recommendations of civil society and engagement groups, capturing priorities such as social inclusion, equitable transitions and global cooperation.
The closing session reaffirmed the central message of the Social Summit – that social justice, economic resilience and environmental sustainability, including the health of our ocean, are inseparable pillars of global development.
The final day of the Summit centred on the formal handover of the G20 Social Summit Declaration to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The closing session reaffirmed the central message of the Social Summit – that social justice, economic resilience and environmental sustainability, including the health of our ocean, are inseparable pillars of global development.
