Seated among world leaders, Governor-General was struck by message she hoped they all received
Rome: Governor-General Sam Mostyn hopes Pope Francis's legacy will inspire a global recommitment to peace and compassion, saying the world needs leaders grounded in humility, mercy and courage.
Speaking after representing Australia at both Francis's funeral in Vatican City and Anzac Day commemorations at Gallipoli, Mostyn said the rare convergence of the two solemn events had prompted deep reflection on global leadership and the moral clarity it demands.
'[The pope] showed that it is possible to be a great world leader but always act with compassion and concern for those that are often marginalised and left out,' she said. 'His life, to his church and to his faith, was grounded in humility and care for others.'
World leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Argentine President Javier Milei attended the funeral Mass, underscoring the pontiff's global influence amid ongoing international conflicts.
Initially intended as a modest tribute, the funeral transformed into a significant diplomatic event, with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holding a private meeting in the basilica, marking their first face-to-face encounter since their Oval Office blow-up in February.
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Mostyn and her husband, Simeon Beckett, were among the 250,000 gathered in St Peter's Square to farewell the Pope. She said the service, staged on a warm, cloudless Roman morning, was marked not by grandeur but by the quiet dignity that defined the Pope's life.
'There was a solemnity and serenity to the Mass and a beauty in every aspect of the event ... It felt appropriate for the celebration of this Pope's life,' she said. 'There was something extraordinary about all of us in that moment. To be there in person is something I will never forget.'
For Mostyn, a longtime student of leadership across sectors, the significance of Francis's final actions carried particular weight.
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The Advertiser
11 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Israel seizes Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg
Israeli naval forces have boarded and seized a charity vessel that had tried to break a naval blockade of the war-torn Gaza Strip and the boat with its crew of 12, including activist Greta Thunberg, is now heading to a port in Israel. The British-flagged yacht, Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there. However, the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore, the coalition said on its Telegram account. The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed it was under Israeli control. "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries," the ministry wrote on X. All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry later added. "They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over." Among the 12-strong crew are Swedish climate campaigner Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. "The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am," Hassan posted on X. A photograph showed the crew seated on the boat, all wearing life jackets, with their hands in the air. The yacht is carrying a small shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula. The Foreign Ministry said it would be taken to Gaza. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," it wrote. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas. Katz said he had instructed that upon the boat's arrival at Ashdod port, the activists will be shown videos of atrocities committed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which triggered the Gaza war. Hamas condemned the seizure of the boat as "state terrorism" and said it salutes its activists. Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 to stop weapons from reaching the militant group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel and the West. The blockade has remained in place through multiple conflicts, including the current war, which began when Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, by Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza and left its more than 2 million population largely displaced and at risk of famine, according to the United Nations. The United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has supported the Madleen operation and on Sunday, urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade. "Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over," she wrote on X. "Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza." Israeli naval forces have boarded and seized a charity vessel that had tried to break a naval blockade of the war-torn Gaza Strip and the boat with its crew of 12, including activist Greta Thunberg, is now heading to a port in Israel. The British-flagged yacht, Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there. However, the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore, the coalition said on its Telegram account. The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed it was under Israeli control. "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries," the ministry wrote on X. All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry later added. "They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over." Among the 12-strong crew are Swedish climate campaigner Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. "The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am," Hassan posted on X. A photograph showed the crew seated on the boat, all wearing life jackets, with their hands in the air. The yacht is carrying a small shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula. The Foreign Ministry said it would be taken to Gaza. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," it wrote. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas. Katz said he had instructed that upon the boat's arrival at Ashdod port, the activists will be shown videos of atrocities committed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which triggered the Gaza war. Hamas condemned the seizure of the boat as "state terrorism" and said it salutes its activists. Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 to stop weapons from reaching the militant group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel and the West. The blockade has remained in place through multiple conflicts, including the current war, which began when Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, by Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza and left its more than 2 million population largely displaced and at risk of famine, according to the United Nations. The United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has supported the Madleen operation and on Sunday, urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade. "Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over," she wrote on X. "Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza." Israeli naval forces have boarded and seized a charity vessel that had tried to break a naval blockade of the war-torn Gaza Strip and the boat with its crew of 12, including activist Greta Thunberg, is now heading to a port in Israel. The British-flagged yacht, Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there. However, the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore, the coalition said on its Telegram account. The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed it was under Israeli control. "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries," the ministry wrote on X. All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry later added. "They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over." Among the 12-strong crew are Swedish climate campaigner Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. "The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am," Hassan posted on X. A photograph showed the crew seated on the boat, all wearing life jackets, with their hands in the air. The yacht is carrying a small shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula. The Foreign Ministry said it would be taken to Gaza. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," it wrote. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas. Katz said he had instructed that upon the boat's arrival at Ashdod port, the activists will be shown videos of atrocities committed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which triggered the Gaza war. Hamas condemned the seizure of the boat as "state terrorism" and said it salutes its activists. Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 to stop weapons from reaching the militant group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel and the West. The blockade has remained in place through multiple conflicts, including the current war, which began when Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, by Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza and left its more than 2 million population largely displaced and at risk of famine, according to the United Nations. The United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has supported the Madleen operation and on Sunday, urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade. "Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over," she wrote on X. "Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza." Israeli naval forces have boarded and seized a charity vessel that had tried to break a naval blockade of the war-torn Gaza Strip and the boat with its crew of 12, including activist Greta Thunberg, is now heading to a port in Israel. The British-flagged yacht, Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there. However, the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore, the coalition said on its Telegram account. The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed it was under Israeli control. "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries," the ministry wrote on X. All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry later added. "They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over." Among the 12-strong crew are Swedish climate campaigner Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. "The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am," Hassan posted on X. A photograph showed the crew seated on the boat, all wearing life jackets, with their hands in the air. The yacht is carrying a small shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula. The Foreign Ministry said it would be taken to Gaza. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," it wrote. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas. Katz said he had instructed that upon the boat's arrival at Ashdod port, the activists will be shown videos of atrocities committed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which triggered the Gaza war. Hamas condemned the seizure of the boat as "state terrorism" and said it salutes its activists. Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 to stop weapons from reaching the militant group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel and the West. The blockade has remained in place through multiple conflicts, including the current war, which began when Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, by Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza and left its more than 2 million population largely displaced and at risk of famine, according to the United Nations. The United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has supported the Madleen operation and on Sunday, urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade. "Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over," she wrote on X. "Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza."
The Advertiser
11 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Push to turn promises into protection at UN ocean meet
The third United Nations Ocean Conference is opening as pressure mounts for nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. The summit comes as just 2.7 per cent of the ocean is effectively protected from destructive extractive activities, according to the non-profit Marine Conservation Institute. That's far below the target agreed under the "30x30" pledge to conserve 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030. Atop this year's agenda is ratification of the High Seas Treaty. Adopted in 2023, the treaty would for the first time allow nations to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which cover almost two-thirds of the ocean and are largely ungoverned. "It's the Wild West out there with countries just fishing anywhere without any sort of regulation, and that needs to change," said Mauro Randone, regional projects manager at the World Wildlife Fund's Mediterranean Marine Initiative. "The high seas belong to everyone and no one practically at the same time, and countries are finally committing to establish some rules." The ocean is critical in stabilising earth's climate and sustaining life. It generates 50 per cent of the oxygen we breathe, absorbs about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions and captures more than 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by those emissions. Without a healthy ocean, experts warn, climate goals will remain out of reach. The treaty will only come into force once 60 countries ratify it. As of Monday, just 32 countries had. Advocates hope the conference can build enough momentum to cross the threshold, which would allow for the first official Oceans Conference of Parties. "Two-thirds of the ocean is areas beyond national jurisdiction - that's half our planet," said Minna Epps, director of global ocean policy at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. "We cannot possibly protect 30 per cent of the ocean if it doesn't include the high seas." South Korea, France and the European Union have championed the treaty, but most large ocean nations have yet to ratify it, including the rest of the G20. Thousands of attendees are expected in Nice - from delegates and heads of state to scientists and industry leaders - but the US has yet to confirm a formal delegation. Beyond new commitments, the conference highlights the growing gap between marine protection declarations and real-world conservation. France, the conference co-host, claims to have surpassed the 30 per cent target for marine protection. But environmental groups say only three per cent of French waters are fully protected from harmful activities such as bottom trawling and industrial fishing. In 2024 alone, more than 100 bottom-trawling vessels were recorded spending more than 17,000 hours fishing within France's six marine nature parks, according to ocean advocacy group Oceana. "The government declares these as protected areas, but this is a lie," said Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas marine reserve project. "Most of it is political box-ticking. It's all paper parks." The conference will feature 10 panels on topics such as blue finance, sustainable fisheries and plastic pollution. Deep-sea mining is expected to feature in broader discussions, while small island states are likely to use the platform to advocate for increased climate adaptation funding. The outcome of these discussions will form the basis of the Nice Ocean Action Plan - a declaration of voluntary commitments to be adopted by consensus and presented at the UN in New York in July. "There cannot be a healthy planet without a healthy ocean," said Peter Thomson, UN special envoy for the ocean. "It's urgent business for us all." The third United Nations Ocean Conference is opening as pressure mounts for nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. The summit comes as just 2.7 per cent of the ocean is effectively protected from destructive extractive activities, according to the non-profit Marine Conservation Institute. That's far below the target agreed under the "30x30" pledge to conserve 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030. Atop this year's agenda is ratification of the High Seas Treaty. Adopted in 2023, the treaty would for the first time allow nations to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which cover almost two-thirds of the ocean and are largely ungoverned. "It's the Wild West out there with countries just fishing anywhere without any sort of regulation, and that needs to change," said Mauro Randone, regional projects manager at the World Wildlife Fund's Mediterranean Marine Initiative. "The high seas belong to everyone and no one practically at the same time, and countries are finally committing to establish some rules." The ocean is critical in stabilising earth's climate and sustaining life. It generates 50 per cent of the oxygen we breathe, absorbs about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions and captures more than 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by those emissions. Without a healthy ocean, experts warn, climate goals will remain out of reach. The treaty will only come into force once 60 countries ratify it. As of Monday, just 32 countries had. Advocates hope the conference can build enough momentum to cross the threshold, which would allow for the first official Oceans Conference of Parties. "Two-thirds of the ocean is areas beyond national jurisdiction - that's half our planet," said Minna Epps, director of global ocean policy at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. "We cannot possibly protect 30 per cent of the ocean if it doesn't include the high seas." South Korea, France and the European Union have championed the treaty, but most large ocean nations have yet to ratify it, including the rest of the G20. Thousands of attendees are expected in Nice - from delegates and heads of state to scientists and industry leaders - but the US has yet to confirm a formal delegation. Beyond new commitments, the conference highlights the growing gap between marine protection declarations and real-world conservation. France, the conference co-host, claims to have surpassed the 30 per cent target for marine protection. But environmental groups say only three per cent of French waters are fully protected from harmful activities such as bottom trawling and industrial fishing. In 2024 alone, more than 100 bottom-trawling vessels were recorded spending more than 17,000 hours fishing within France's six marine nature parks, according to ocean advocacy group Oceana. "The government declares these as protected areas, but this is a lie," said Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas marine reserve project. "Most of it is political box-ticking. It's all paper parks." The conference will feature 10 panels on topics such as blue finance, sustainable fisheries and plastic pollution. Deep-sea mining is expected to feature in broader discussions, while small island states are likely to use the platform to advocate for increased climate adaptation funding. The outcome of these discussions will form the basis of the Nice Ocean Action Plan - a declaration of voluntary commitments to be adopted by consensus and presented at the UN in New York in July. "There cannot be a healthy planet without a healthy ocean," said Peter Thomson, UN special envoy for the ocean. "It's urgent business for us all." The third United Nations Ocean Conference is opening as pressure mounts for nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. The summit comes as just 2.7 per cent of the ocean is effectively protected from destructive extractive activities, according to the non-profit Marine Conservation Institute. That's far below the target agreed under the "30x30" pledge to conserve 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030. Atop this year's agenda is ratification of the High Seas Treaty. Adopted in 2023, the treaty would for the first time allow nations to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which cover almost two-thirds of the ocean and are largely ungoverned. "It's the Wild West out there with countries just fishing anywhere without any sort of regulation, and that needs to change," said Mauro Randone, regional projects manager at the World Wildlife Fund's Mediterranean Marine Initiative. "The high seas belong to everyone and no one practically at the same time, and countries are finally committing to establish some rules." The ocean is critical in stabilising earth's climate and sustaining life. It generates 50 per cent of the oxygen we breathe, absorbs about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions and captures more than 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by those emissions. Without a healthy ocean, experts warn, climate goals will remain out of reach. The treaty will only come into force once 60 countries ratify it. As of Monday, just 32 countries had. Advocates hope the conference can build enough momentum to cross the threshold, which would allow for the first official Oceans Conference of Parties. "Two-thirds of the ocean is areas beyond national jurisdiction - that's half our planet," said Minna Epps, director of global ocean policy at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. "We cannot possibly protect 30 per cent of the ocean if it doesn't include the high seas." South Korea, France and the European Union have championed the treaty, but most large ocean nations have yet to ratify it, including the rest of the G20. Thousands of attendees are expected in Nice - from delegates and heads of state to scientists and industry leaders - but the US has yet to confirm a formal delegation. Beyond new commitments, the conference highlights the growing gap between marine protection declarations and real-world conservation. France, the conference co-host, claims to have surpassed the 30 per cent target for marine protection. But environmental groups say only three per cent of French waters are fully protected from harmful activities such as bottom trawling and industrial fishing. In 2024 alone, more than 100 bottom-trawling vessels were recorded spending more than 17,000 hours fishing within France's six marine nature parks, according to ocean advocacy group Oceana. "The government declares these as protected areas, but this is a lie," said Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas marine reserve project. "Most of it is political box-ticking. It's all paper parks." The conference will feature 10 panels on topics such as blue finance, sustainable fisheries and plastic pollution. Deep-sea mining is expected to feature in broader discussions, while small island states are likely to use the platform to advocate for increased climate adaptation funding. The outcome of these discussions will form the basis of the Nice Ocean Action Plan - a declaration of voluntary commitments to be adopted by consensus and presented at the UN in New York in July. "There cannot be a healthy planet without a healthy ocean," said Peter Thomson, UN special envoy for the ocean. "It's urgent business for us all." The third United Nations Ocean Conference is opening as pressure mounts for nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. The summit comes as just 2.7 per cent of the ocean is effectively protected from destructive extractive activities, according to the non-profit Marine Conservation Institute. That's far below the target agreed under the "30x30" pledge to conserve 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030. Atop this year's agenda is ratification of the High Seas Treaty. Adopted in 2023, the treaty would for the first time allow nations to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which cover almost two-thirds of the ocean and are largely ungoverned. "It's the Wild West out there with countries just fishing anywhere without any sort of regulation, and that needs to change," said Mauro Randone, regional projects manager at the World Wildlife Fund's Mediterranean Marine Initiative. "The high seas belong to everyone and no one practically at the same time, and countries are finally committing to establish some rules." The ocean is critical in stabilising earth's climate and sustaining life. It generates 50 per cent of the oxygen we breathe, absorbs about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions and captures more than 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by those emissions. Without a healthy ocean, experts warn, climate goals will remain out of reach. The treaty will only come into force once 60 countries ratify it. As of Monday, just 32 countries had. Advocates hope the conference can build enough momentum to cross the threshold, which would allow for the first official Oceans Conference of Parties. "Two-thirds of the ocean is areas beyond national jurisdiction - that's half our planet," said Minna Epps, director of global ocean policy at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. "We cannot possibly protect 30 per cent of the ocean if it doesn't include the high seas." South Korea, France and the European Union have championed the treaty, but most large ocean nations have yet to ratify it, including the rest of the G20. Thousands of attendees are expected in Nice - from delegates and heads of state to scientists and industry leaders - but the US has yet to confirm a formal delegation. Beyond new commitments, the conference highlights the growing gap between marine protection declarations and real-world conservation. France, the conference co-host, claims to have surpassed the 30 per cent target for marine protection. But environmental groups say only three per cent of French waters are fully protected from harmful activities such as bottom trawling and industrial fishing. In 2024 alone, more than 100 bottom-trawling vessels were recorded spending more than 17,000 hours fishing within France's six marine nature parks, according to ocean advocacy group Oceana. "The government declares these as protected areas, but this is a lie," said Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas marine reserve project. "Most of it is political box-ticking. It's all paper parks." The conference will feature 10 panels on topics such as blue finance, sustainable fisheries and plastic pollution. Deep-sea mining is expected to feature in broader discussions, while small island states are likely to use the platform to advocate for increased climate adaptation funding. The outcome of these discussions will form the basis of the Nice Ocean Action Plan - a declaration of voluntary commitments to be adopted by consensus and presented at the UN in New York in July. "There cannot be a healthy planet without a healthy ocean," said Peter Thomson, UN special envoy for the ocean. "It's urgent business for us all."
Perth Now
12 hours ago
- Perth Now
Push to turn promises into protection at UN ocean meet
The third United Nations Ocean Conference is opening as pressure mounts for nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. The summit comes as just 2.7 per cent of the ocean is effectively protected from destructive extractive activities, according to the non-profit Marine Conservation Institute. That's far below the target agreed under the "30x30" pledge to conserve 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030. Atop this year's agenda is ratification of the High Seas Treaty. Adopted in 2023, the treaty would for the first time allow nations to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which cover almost two-thirds of the ocean and are largely ungoverned. "It's the Wild West out there with countries just fishing anywhere without any sort of regulation, and that needs to change," said Mauro Randone, regional projects manager at the World Wildlife Fund's Mediterranean Marine Initiative. "The high seas belong to everyone and no one practically at the same time, and countries are finally committing to establish some rules." The ocean is critical in stabilising earth's climate and sustaining life. It generates 50 per cent of the oxygen we breathe, absorbs about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions and captures more than 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by those emissions. Without a healthy ocean, experts warn, climate goals will remain out of reach. The treaty will only come into force once 60 countries ratify it. As of Monday, just 32 countries had. Advocates hope the conference can build enough momentum to cross the threshold, which would allow for the first official Oceans Conference of Parties. "Two-thirds of the ocean is areas beyond national jurisdiction - that's half our planet," said Minna Epps, director of global ocean policy at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. "We cannot possibly protect 30 per cent of the ocean if it doesn't include the high seas." South Korea, France and the European Union have championed the treaty, but most large ocean nations have yet to ratify it, including the rest of the G20. Thousands of attendees are expected in Nice - from delegates and heads of state to scientists and industry leaders - but the US has yet to confirm a formal delegation. Beyond new commitments, the conference highlights the growing gap between marine protection declarations and real-world conservation. France, the conference co-host, claims to have surpassed the 30 per cent target for marine protection. But environmental groups say only three per cent of French waters are fully protected from harmful activities such as bottom trawling and industrial fishing. In 2024 alone, more than 100 bottom-trawling vessels were recorded spending more than 17,000 hours fishing within France's six marine nature parks, according to ocean advocacy group Oceana. "The government declares these as protected areas, but this is a lie," said Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas marine reserve project. "Most of it is political box-ticking. It's all paper parks." The conference will feature 10 panels on topics such as blue finance, sustainable fisheries and plastic pollution. Deep-sea mining is expected to feature in broader discussions, while small island states are likely to use the platform to advocate for increased climate adaptation funding. The outcome of these discussions will form the basis of the Nice Ocean Action Plan - a declaration of voluntary commitments to be adopted by consensus and presented at the UN in New York in July. "There cannot be a healthy planet without a healthy ocean," said Peter Thomson, UN special envoy for the ocean. "It's urgent business for us all."
