The IOC has been a key player in the recent international debate on sustainable development as it relates to the ocean. The Rio+20 outcome document affirmed the importance of “the ocean and coasts” to the sustainability debate, and is the basis for IOC’s ongoing support to the creation of a Sustainable Development Goal dedicated to the ocean. The IOC is closely involved in several international partnerships for ocean sustainability such as with the CBD, UN-Oceans and the World Ocean Assessment.