UN Ocean Conference to focus on biodiversity, subsidies, '30X30 goal'

PARIS - The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), to be held in Nice, France, from June 9 to 13, 2025, will center on three core objectives: conserving marine biodiversity, eliminating harmful fisheries subsidies, and advancing the global "30x30" target.

Rising ocean temperatures, acidification, and oxygen loss are undermining the ocean's ability to regulate the climate, according to scientists from the One Ocean Science Congress. These environmental shifts, together with rising sea levels, pose a serious threat to global infrastructure and life on Earth, they warned in a recent statement meant to inform decision-makers gathering in Nice.

In this context, UNOC3 will convene governments, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, researchers, civil society groups, and private sector stakeholders to address challenges and explore opportunities linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

The conference will feature ten plenary sessions and ten roundtable discussions, along with numerous side events.

A top priority will be to secure the 60 ratifications needed to bring into force the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, known as the "BBNJ Agreement". Adopted in 2023, the accord aims to safeguard marine ecosystems in international waters. So far, only 32 countries have ratified it. The deadline for reaching the 60-country threshold is Sept 20, 2025.

"The goal for Nice is to achieve at least 60 ratifications to ensure the agreement's entry into force. We aren't there yet... There is still a lot of work to be done," French President Emmanuel Macron said, as quoted by Le Monde.

The second objective targets the prohibition of harmful fisheries subsidies, widely seen as a major driver of global fish stock depletion. While the World Trade Organization adopted an agreement on this issue in June 2022, it still requires formal ratification by two-thirds of its members - or 111 countries - with only 101 having done so to date.

Macron also emphasized the importance of combatting "illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing", Le Monde reported.

The third major aim concerns achieving the "30x30" goal - the commitment to protect 30 percent of the oceans by 2030. Currently, only around 8 percent of marine areas enjoy some form of protection.

To close the financial gap and support ocean conservation, conference participants will discuss innovative funding instruments such as "Blue bonds" and "Blue loans" to advance a sustainable ocean economy.