UN Ocean Conference sets sail off France on World Oceans Day
Lots of research study and exploration vessels from around the world set sail just off the French coastal city of Nice on Sunday to start the 3rd U.N. Ocean Conference.
Other standout vessels included France’s Alfred Merlin, dedicated to underwater archaeology; the OceanXplorer, a modern billionaire-owned research private yacht; and the WWF’s Blue Panda, which is working to map and secure the last staying seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean Sea.
At the heart of the conference is the push to ratify the High Seas Treaty, adopted in 2023. If it takes effect, the treaty would for the first time enable nations to establish marine secured areas in international waters, which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean and remain mostly ungoverned.
“The High Seas Treaty is critical to guaranteeing we can protect biodiversity in the ocean,” said Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance. “We’re in the middle of a biodiversity and environment crisis. We absolutely need to secure the ocean to deal with those crises.”
However even in waters currently designated as protected, enforcement often fails. Many countries, France included, face criticism from environmental groups over weak regulation and continued industrial activity within their marine protected areas.
Several countries are expected to reveal new marine protected locations, or MPAs, during the conference, together with restrictions on bottom trawling and other destructive activities within their existing MPA networks.
A United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) official highlighted the vital function oceans play in sustaining human life and driving economic growth, as Sunday marked World Oceans Day.
Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, director of UNEP’s Industry and Financial Division, expanded on the oceans’ significance in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), stressing their value beyond tourism and trade.
Aggarwal-Khan emphasized the importance of expanding financing mechanisms that foster collaboration between the private and public sectors to tackle pressing environmental challenges.
The event, themed “Ocean Marvels,” saw the vessels cruise throughout Nice’s Baie des Anges, or Bay of Angels, to highlight the beauty and significance of the ocean while urging world leaders not to lose sight of its worth as they make decisions about the world’s future.
