Future of the oceans: UN conference in Nice sets new standards!

Future of the oceans: UN conference in Nice sets new standards!

The United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, was an important forum that addressed the future of the oceans. More than 50 heads of state and delegates from over 120 countries attended this important event. UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened the conference with an urgent appeal to view and protect the sea as a common resource. He strongly criticized the current neglect of these vital ecosystems and called for comprehensive action.

Environment Minister Carsten Schneider emphasized the progress that the conference represents for marine protection. Germany set out several commitments, including continuing ongoing programs to recover and destroy waste munitions from the North and Baltic Seas. It was also decided to found a German-French team of experts to further advance marine protection.

Marine protection measures

Germany plans to invest around 100 million euros in the preservation and restoration of salt marshes, seagrass meadows and algae forests by 2031. The aim is to strengthen the CO2 storage capacity and resilience of the oceans. A “Nice Action Plan” was drawn up by the international community, which contains voluntary commitments from the countries. However, there were no concrete financial commitments for poorer island states.

Deep-sea mining was also a pressing issue; 37 states called for a precautionary pause in these activities, which Germany also agreed to. In a positive turn of events, several major banks announced that they would no longer finance deep-sea mining projects. Deep sea mining poses risks as it could endanger biodiversity and release climate-damaging CO2.

Challenges and next steps

The high seas cover 60-70% of the oceans, but there are hardly any regulations in international waters. The UN High Seas Protection Agreement is intended to designate large protected areas, but requires ratification by at least 60 states. At the start of the conference, more than a dozen states ratified the agreement, and experts believe the required number could be reached by September 2025.

Furthermore, 95 countries called for a limit on the production of primary plastics as well as reporting requirements on their production and import and export. In August, an agreement against ocean littering will be discussed again in Geneva. The aim is to create an international ocean research program called “Mission Neptune”, which will produce an annual report on the status of the world's oceans.

Environmentalists expressed concerns and pointed out that the successes of the conference must ultimately be measured by the implementation of the adopted measures in national policies. The next UN Ocean Conference is already planned for 2028 to continue dialogue and progress on ocean protection.

Overall, the UN Ocean Conference in Nice shows that there is a global will for change, but further efforts and long-term commitment are needed to protect and preserve the oceans.

For more information read the details on the standard and DW.