Highlights and images for 13 June 2025

“The Ocean is life. We behold its beauty and weave its wonder into our cultures.” With these words, Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean, stressed that the “time for debating is over,” calling for a relationship of reciprocity and respect with the Ocean.

The Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) concluded its deliberations in Nice, with delegates commending the strong political commitment manifested throughout the week, for a healthy, productive, and sustainable Ocean.

During the course of the day, two Ocean Action Panels concluded the thematic discussions, focusing on: promoting the role of sustainable food from the Ocean for poverty eradication and food security; and enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of the Ocean and its resources by implementing international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In the morning, the first Ocean Action Panel, co-chaired by Philip Isdor Mpango, Vice President of Tanzania, and Kim Sungbum, Deputy Minister for Marine Policy, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Republic of Korea, and moderated by Jim Leape, Stanford University, US, highlighted sustainable food from the Ocean as a source of nutrition, livelihoods, and economic opportunity, in particular for developing countries and coastal communities.

Mpango urged strong international cooperation and broad partnerships that enhance the science-policy interface, promote fair and inclusive access to Ocean resources, and boost financial flows and technology sharing to “bridge the gap between potential and practice.”

Stressing that inefficiency and structural vulnerabilities necessitate redesigning resource management and value chains around the principle of sustainability, Sungbum called for sustainable fisheries management, value chain transparency, aquaculture development, reduction of harvest loss and food waste, and strengthening social protection.

In the ensuing discussion, delegates underscored, among other things:

• the interconnectedness between SDG 14 (life below water) and the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular SDG 1 (no poverty) and SDG 2 (zero hunger);
• the necessity of raising global awareness of the role aquatic blue foods play in achieving food security, improved nutrition, poverty eradication, and climate resilience;
• inclusive governance, infrastructure development, technology transfer, capacity building, market access, finance, data sharing, and regional integration and partnerships; and
• the need to strengthen ecosystem-based management, community participation, and food value chain development, empowering small-scale fishers and vulnerable coastal communities.

The afternoon Ocean Action Panel, co-chaired by Heraldo Muñoz, Special Envoy for the Ocean, Chile, and Penelope Ridings, Member of the International Law Commission, New Zealand, and moderated by François Alabrune, Ambassador of France to the Netherlands, focused on the role of international law, as reflected in UNCLOS, in supporting sustainable Ocean governance.

Muñoz stressed that blatant inequalities in states’ capacities, infrastructure, and access to marine technology, funding, and technical assistance necessitate cooperation at all levels to bridge these gaps.

Ridings highlighted the importance of international, regional, and subregional cooperation for achieving all goals associated with holistic Ocean governance.

Leticia Carvalho, Secretary General, International Seabed Authority (ISA), reiterated that “the deep seabed cannot become the Wild West,” and invited all to “work together to ensure the collective stewardship of the deep seabed and its resources, one of the planet’s last frontiers.”

During discussions, delegates highlighted, among other things:

• UNCLOS is the constitution for the Ocean, stressing the need to strengthen multilateralism, reaffirming the principles of equality, transparency, equity, and inclusivity in Ocean governance;
• the importance of expeditious entry into force of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), the conclusion of the negotiations on a plastics treaty, and the centrality of the 2024 ITLOS Advisory Opinion on climate change and international law; and
• the need for inclusive governance structures, provision of legal, technical, and financial support, and capacity building, in particular for developing countries and small island developing states (SIDS).

During the closing plenary, delegates and participants:

• listened to key messages from the special events held before UNOC3: the One Ocean Science Congress; the Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Summit; and the Blue Economy and Finance Forum;
• heard summaries, insights, and recommendations from the ten Ocean Action Panels that took place throughout the week; and
• adopted the outcome document of UNOC3, the declaration “Our Ocean, Our Future: United for Urgent Action,” and approved the report of the Conference.

During the closing plenary, Elinor Hammarskjöld, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, noted that the declaration, also known as the “Nice Ocean Action Plan,” offers a solid roadmap for future action, stressing the need to translate commitments into action to carry the momentum forward.

“Now that we have the compass, equipment, and direction, let us keep going and never regress,” said Olivier Poivre d'Arvor, Special Envoy of the French President for UNOC3, highlighting that the Conference has accelerated action towards ratification of the BBNJ Agreement and expanded the coalition calling for a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining.

Arnoldo André Tinoco, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Costa Rica, highlighted the meeting’s achievements, including providing political momentum for important multilateral processes and agreements, and emphasized that “only by working together, beyond borders, cultures, and sectors can we ensure the health of the Ocean, our common heritage.”

The Republic of Korea and Chile announced their intention to co-host the fourth UN Ocean Conference in 2028.

Thanking all delegates and participants for their hard work and contributions, Poivre d’Arvor gaveled UNOC3 to a close at 6:51 pm.