We are the ocean: Protect it through concrete action

Observer

4 days ago

From June 9 to 13, France will host the Third United Nations Conference on the Ocean (UNOC3). This meeting will be a decisive moment: it will bring together, in Nice, a hundred heads of state and government, and several tens of thousands of participants, researchers, scientists, economic actors, community activists and citizens from all over the world. On this occasion, France will have a clear objective: to protect the ocean through concrete actions.
The ocean is our common good. It feeds and protects peoples. It makes us dream and travel. It offers us sustainable energy, means of trade, endless resources and scientific knowledge.
One in three people depend on the ocean for their lives, yet the ocean is in danger. It is a space that is still largely unknown, which does not have global governance, nor the funding necessary for its preservation. The figures are worrying: more than 8 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year, according to a study in the journal Science. Added to this is the overexploitation, which affects more than a third of fish stocks, but also the acidification of waters, the rise of sea level and the destruction of marine ecosystems. And these phenomena are accelerating, direct consequences of climate change.
It is time to act. More than ever, we need to ensure that multilateral action rises to the challenge of protecting the ocean.
Ten years after COP21 and the Paris Agreement, which established a binding global framework to limit global warming, UNOC3 represents a historic opportunity. The 'Nice Agreements' would constitute a real international pact for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. This pact would thus be directly in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in 2015.
To achieve this, the discussions in Nice will have to be concrete and action-oriented. It will be a question of working for better governance, more funding and a better knowledge of the sea.
A seagull holds a plastic bag in its beak as it searches for food in Vannes, Brittany, France. More than 8 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year, according to a study in the journal Science.
In terms of governance, the Treaty on the Protection of Biodiversity in the High Seas (BBNJ) is an essential lever. The high seas — more than 60 per cent of the oceans — are today the only space not governed by international law. The absence of surveillance and common rules leads to a real socio-environmental disaster: massive pollution of hydrocarbons and plastics, illegal and unregulated fishing methods, catches of protected mammals. To put an end to this legal vacuum, we need to get 60 countries to ratify and thus allow the BBNJ Treaty to enter into force.
Protecting the ocean also means mobilising public and private funding and supporting a sustainable blue economy. To continue to benefit from the ocean's tremendous economic opportunities, we must ensure that marine resources can regenerate. In Nice, several commitments will be announced in the areas of international trade, maritime transport, tourism and investment.
Finally, how do we protect what we don't know — or not enough known? We need to increase our knowledge of the ocean and better disseminate it. Today, we are able to map the surface of the Moon or Mars, but the bottom of the oceans remains unknown. They cover 70 per cent of the Earth! Together, let's mobilise science, innovation and education to better understand the ocean and raise awareness among the general public.
In the face of accelerating climate change and the overexploitation of marine resources, the ocean is not one of many issues. That is everyone's business. The questioning of multilateralism must not make us forget our common responsibility. The ocean is a universal link, it is at the heart of our future. Together, we can make UNOC3 a major turning point for our peoples, for future generations and for our planet.
We are proud to be able to count on the Sultanate of Oman commitment to the protection of the environment and especially the oceans. Together, we will continue this important mobilisation in Nice.