A series of regional conventions and policies are playing an essential role in monitoring climate change and preparing for extreme weather events, preventing oil spills, reducing plastic and other waste, saving coral reefs, and providing overall ocean protection and restoration of marine ecosystems. These are the key findings of a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report, whose authors calls for expanding the scope of collaboration on regional seas in the coming decade. The report, Contributions of Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans to a Healthy Ocean, draws on a series of case studies which examine the cumulative impact of these conventions and policies over the past 45 years.