Held in a spirit of celebration of recent international progress, notably the newly agreed UN high seas treaty, the 14th Meeting of the Monaco Blue Initiative discussed options for ocean conservation and a sustainable blue economy. Debates centered on fisheries, marine protected areas, ecosystem restoration and scaling solutions.

Debates between deep-sea mining and guarding the Ocean's little understood ecosystems will take center stage as the International Seabed Authority (ISA) meets in Jamaica.

Governments agreed on a draft treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, The eventual treaty will address exploitation of marine genetic resources, including benefit-sharing; establish area-based management tools, such as marine protected areas; set procedures for environmental impact assessments; and provide capacity building and transfer of marine technology.

Ocean conservation experts and high-level officials gathered to discuss how to advance Ocean protection and a way forward to achieve conservation targets, including to protect at least 30% of the world’s land and Ocean by 2030 (30 by 30).