Third United Nations Ocean Conference

Context: Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) represents a historic opportunity for the global community to build strong, action-oriented consensus for the protection, sustainable use, and better governance of the oceans. 

Why is protecting the Oceans urgent?

1. Significance of Oceans: 

• Oceans cover over 70% of the Earth's surface, are a global commons essential for climate regulation, biodiversity, food security, livelihoods, and international trade.
• Oceans generate 50% of the oxygen we need, absorb 25% of all carbon dioxide emissions and capture 90% of the excess heat generated from global warming. 

2. Present Challenges: 

• Lack of Governance: High seas which account for more than 60% of the ocean remain largely unregulated, leading to overfishing, illegal activities, and environmental degradation.
• Rising Pollution: Over 8 million tons of plastic end up in oceans every year (Science journal, 2020).
• Resource Overexploitation: One-third of global fish stocks are overexploited, threatening marine food security. 
• Impacts of Climate Change: Ocean acidification, coral bleaching, rising sea levels, and destruction of marine habitats are direct consequences.
• Livelihood Risk: One in three people rely on the ocean for their livelihood, thus, safeguarding marine ecosystems becomes important. 

In this context, UNOC3 represents an unprecedented opportunity to foster multilateral action, develop binding commitments, and implement tangible strategies to safeguard marine ecosystems.

United Nations Ocean Conference

• High-level United Nations Conference to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.
• It provides a platform to mobilise political will, partnership and funding to reverse the decline in the health of our ocean for people, planet and prosperity.
• First United Nations Ocean Conference (2017): New York, the US. 
• Second United Nations Ocean Conference (2022): Lisbon, Portugal

3rd United Nations Ocean Conference: 

• Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) is scheduled from June 9-13, 2025 at Nice, France. It will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.
• It is a major global effort to protect oceans, promote sustainable use of marine resources, and advance international cooperation.
• Theme: Accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean. 

Key Objectives of UNOC3

• Operationalising BBNJ Agreement: The lack of surveillance and common rules is causing a real social and environmental disaster, with massive hydrocarbon and plastic pollution, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the capture of protected and endangered mammals. To end this legal vacuum, the BBNJ Agreement needs to be ratified by 60 countries, so that it may come into force.
• Enhancing Financing for Blue Economy: Mobilising public and private investments in sustainable marine sectors like eco-friendly shipping, fisheries, tourism, and ocean-based renewable energy.
• Advancing Ocean Knowledge and Innovation: The depths of the ocean which covers 70% of the Earth’s surface remain unknown. There is a need to mobilise science, innovation, and education to better understand the ocean and raise public awareness. Improving ocean mapping, research, and monitoring technologies to fill scientific gaps.
• Building a Global Pact: Aim to adopt the "Nice Ocean Agreements", setting a global action framework for oceans, aligned with SDG-14 (Life Below Water).

Significance of the Conference

• Ten years after COP21 and the Paris Agreement, which established a binding global framework to limit climate change, the UNOC3 is a historic opportunity.
• The “Nice Ocean Agreements” can form an international pact for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean, fully in line with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN in 2015. 

Also Read: BBNJ negotiations - Treaty of the High Seas 

UNOC3 can become a historic inflection point if nations rise above narrow interests and work collaboratively for the stewardship of oceans and securing them for future generations.