Governments and delegates at the Our Ocean Conference in Kenya reaffirmed commitments to protect marine ecosystems, with a focus on addressing climate-related issues such as blue carbon ecosystems, coastal adaptation, and marine biodiversity. Former US climate envoy John Kerry emphasized the importance of prioritizing ocean protection in global climate policy and urged for political will to align with scientific knowledge. The conference aimed to push marine issues to the forefront of global climate diplomacy and build momentum for the upcoming COP31 climate summit in Türkiye. Ocean-based solutions could contribute up to 35% of emissions reductions needed to limit global warming, with over 2,900 commitments worth nearly $170 billion generated in the past decade. Despite challenges in accessing sustained funding for marine conservation efforts, the upcoming Our Ocean Conference is seen as a critical moment to increase the prominence of the ocean in climate discussions and align political ambition with funding, implementation, and accountability to protect the ocean as Earth's life support system.