Nel Blu — Issue 012

nel blu™ ~ italian for in the blue
stories about the people, ideas, and investments shaping the future of our ocean

This past summer in Buenos Aires, 20 scientists from Latin America and Europe set out to identify marine life pulled from Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon and the earlier CONICET deep-sea expeditions. In two weeks, they named 57 species entirely new to science and 5 new genera, including deep-sea corals, sea pens, and a sea cucumber nicknamed “Loki” for the horns sprouting from its body, found 2,500 meters down.

What makes this canyon so rich? Off the coast of Argentina, two giant currents collide here, warm tropical water meeting cold, nutrient-rich water from the sub-Antarctic, creating one of the most energetic stretches of ocean on Earth and feeding an extraordinary web of deep-sea life.

Every find was logged to Ocean Census NOVA, the first open-access database for new marine life, part of the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, the world’s largest effort to accelerate ocean discovery.

Here’s Why It Matters Beyond the Wonder

Only about 240,000 marine species have ever been formally named, while millions more are thought to remain undiscovered in the dark. Every species documented is one that can finally be studied. A follow-up expedition to an even less-explored canyon is already planned for early 2027.

👉🏻 Watch the highlight reel here!

Ahead of COP31 in Türkiye next month, the Pacific nations leading the charge met first. From October 5 to 8, Fiji, Tuvalu, and Australia co-hosted the official Pacific Pre-COP, drawing more than 4,000 people from over 100 countries to set the agenda before the main summit.

According to the COP31 Pacific partnership, more than $16 billion in climate finance has been committed to Pacific nations since the Paris Agreement, but over $5 billion of it has never been disbursed. A central aim of the meeting was turning that undelivered $5 billion from a pledge into something communities can actually use.

New funding was announced as well, with much of it aimed at the ocean and coastlines. 

For decades, Pacific nations have made a simple case: you cannot solve the climate crisis while ignoring the ocean that absorbs most of its heat and carbon. At COP31, that argument finally reaches the table. Türkiye confirmed it will push for an “Antalya Ocean Declaration,” a formal step toward recognizing the ocean’s role in the climate system, and the proposed COP31 decision now names oceans and waterways directly among its priorities.

Pre-COP built momentum for a COP31 presidency-led decision aimed at keeping 1.5°C within reach, one that would name oceans and waterways alongside electrification, climate finance, and early-warning systems as core areas for real action. It would also back a pathway to $1.3 trillion in climate finance for vulnerable nations. But as the Pacific made clear this month, a number on paper means nothing until it reaches the water’s edge.

What You’re Looking At:
A blacktip reef shark cuts through a blur of fish over a Fijian reef. Named for the ink-dipped tips of its fins, this shark is one of the most common reef sharks in the Pacific, and one of the most important. As a top predator, it keeps fish populations balanced and reefs healthy.

COP31 • November 9th - 20th • Antalya, Türkiye
COP is the world’s biggest annual climate summit, run under the UN climate convention first adopted in 1992. Every year it brings together heads of state, ministers, scientists, and business and civil society leaders to negotiate global action on climate change. This year marks the 31st round, hosted by Türkiye.

Why it matters for the ocean: For the first time, Türkiye’s agenda names “oceans and seas” as one of ten official priority themes, alongside zero waste. The ocean absorbs most of the heat and carbon driving climate change, so a seat at the COP table is overdue.

Source: COP31

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