Ocean stewardship & governance: Vanuatu’s Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu used World Oceans Day to push urgent ocean stewardship, calling the region’s “triple planetary crisis” climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, and pointing to new legal momentum for ocean protection. Climate accountability in international law: A UN General Assembly resolution endorsed the ICJ’s advisory opinion on climate obligations, with Vanuatu highlighted as a key driver of the case—turning climate action into a matter of international law, not politics. Pacific-led ocean power under pressure: Former Forum SG Dame Meg Taylor warned that militarisation and outside funding could weaken Pacific control of ocean governance, urging stronger economic independence and unity. Deep-sea mining & seabed talks: The Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority attended regional deep seabed “sustainable blue growth” talks in Suva, focusing on state responsibilities, environmental governance and data management. Energy resilience in the Pacific: A Vanuatu Climate Action Network coordinator joined Pacific “Solar Scholars” training, stressing solar as survival amid high fuel costs and unreliable power. Marine protection wins: French Polynesia plans to expand fully protected “no-take” areas, while Papua New Guinea announced a large Western Manus marine protected area with a total fishing ban to support a Melanesian Ocean Corridor. Fisheries & tuna access: Tokelau has exited the PNA tuna arrangement, with RNZ reporting Vanuatu has taken up the observer spot—raising questions for access to fishing allocations and regional fisheries management. Bycatch lawsuit spotlight: Conservation groups sued the US over seafood imports from eight countries, including Vanuatu, alleging fisheries harm marine mammals through bycatch.