Partners: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) upholds the development pillar of the United Nations, bringing the global community together to work toward common solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Blue Planet Alliance is a nonprofit, the mission of which is to help islands, states, and countries transition to and achieve 100% renewable energy by 2045. (See also SDG7.)

Project: “Together, We Rise” was an event at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, that examined Small Island Developing States’ priorities, featured global leaders, and advanced cross-sector collaboration. Partnership among global stakeholders — public and private sector, local communities and youth — is key to overcoming these challenges to ocean health, so that together, we rise.

BSL Role: BSL conceived, produced, and moderated the full program, including panels; a fireside chat with Palau President Surangel Whipps, Jr.; and a keynote by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson.