UN Ocean Conference kicks off in France
Delegates from around the world gathered in France on Monday for the opening of the UN Ocean Conference to discuss marine conservation as the US charts its own course under President Donald Trump.
Representatives from about 120 countries and regions are expected to attend the meeting in the city of Nice on the Mediterranean coast. France is jointly hosting the event with Costa Rica. Among the more than 50 leaders on hand are Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The attendees will discuss rising sea temperatures due to global warming, pollution from plastic waste, as well as the sustainable use of marine resources, among other topics.
A declaration will be released on Friday, the last day of the conference.
At the opening of the event, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for unity among the international community, saying, "The ocean is the ultimate shared resource, but we are failing it."
In April, the US under the Trump administration unveiled a plan to mine seabed mineral resources outside the country's exclusive economic zone.
In response, France, Costa Rica and others have called for restrictions on such mining, saying it could have a negative impact on the deep-sea ecosystem.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned against the US move, saying the deep sea is not for sale.
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