What challenges for the future of sea and marine resources?

A global conference on the ocean of unprecedented magnitude in Nice

About fifty heads of state and governments, as well as 30,000 delegates from the world of research, associations, businesses, coastal cities or even international financial institutions, meet in Nice until June 13, 2025 to participate in the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Ocean (UNOC 3).

The city will be at the heart of intense and all-round discussions under the aegis of France and Costa Rica, which co-president. An unprecedented event by its magnitude on an essential subject for humanity.

Sciences and diplomacy: unite knowledge to protect the ocean

The previous edition, in Lisbon in 2022, was much less extensive. Thus, for the first time, an international scientific congress precedes the diplomatic meeting: he will give decision -makers this Friday, June 6, 2025, ten recommendations to preserve the health of the oceans. In addition to the link between knowledge and politics, a key challenge for UNOC 3 will be to progress in better blue governance.

Governance, biodiversity, pollution: the major challenges of UNOC 3

“Since 1945, a dozen UN agencies have managed the various dimensions of the ocean very dispersed: fishing, seabed, sea workers’ law, plastic pollution,” explains Rémy Parmentier, director of Varda Group and the Let’s Be Nice to the Ocean initiative. A major goal of this conference will be to advance global ocean governance, with a clearer vision of funding which is devoted to its protection. ”

An important signal will be the increase in the number of signatory states of the international treaty on the high seas and marine biodiversity (the so -called “BBNJ” agreement). There are only 30 to date, when it would take double for the treaty to come into force and to protect highly coveted marine genetic resources.

In Nice, the voluntary commitments of the States will be scrutinized closely on subjects as diverse as the decarbonation of maritime transport, the protected marine areas, the mining of the seabed or the cessation of subsidies with illegal fishing. Plastic pollution will also be at the heart of attentions. Even if the official negotiations on the treaty aimed at absorbing it will take place in early August in Geneva.