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The Star
19 hours ago
- Science
- The Star
UN Ocean Conference sets sail in France on World Oceans Day
A protester takes part in the Blue March (Marche Bleue) on the Promenade des Anglais ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (Unoc 3), in the French riviera city of Nice, south-eastern France on June 7, 2025. The third edition of the United Nations Ocean Conference (Unoc 3) opens on June 9, 2025, in Nice, where many hope to see money and other concrete actions to protect marine life in polluted, overheated and overfished oceans. -- Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP NICE, France (AP): A fleet of 30 research and exploration vessels from around the world will set sail just off the French coastal city of Nice on Sunday to kick off the third United Nations Ocean Conference and pay tribute to World Oceans Day. The event themed "Ocean Wonders' will see the vessels sail across Nice's Baie des Anges, or Bay of Angels, and is designed to spotlight the beauty and importance of the ocean while urging world leaders not to lose sight of its value as they make decisions about the planet's future. Thousands of delegates, including heads of state, scientists, and environmental advocates, are expected in Nice this week to confront growing threats to the ocean and the need to transform pledges into protection. The UN has called the threats a global emergency facing the world's oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources. Just 2.7% of the global ocean is effectively protected from destructive activities like industrial fishing and deep-sea mining - far below the global goal of 30% by 2030. Participating boats include the Energy Observer, a solar-panel covered catamaran that was the first vessel to circumnavigate the globe using renewable energy alone. It produces hydrogen fuel on board via seawater electrolysis, offering a vision of zero-emissions maritime travel. Other standout vessels include France's Alfred Merlin, dedicated to underwater archaeology; the OceanXplorer, a high-tech billionaire-owned research yacht; and the WWF's Blue Panda, which is working to map and protect the last remaining seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean Sea. At the heart of the conference is the push to ratify the High Seas Treaty, adopted in 2023. If it enters into force, the treaty would for the first time allow countries to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean and remain largely ungoverned. "The High Seas Treaty is critical to ensuring we can protect biodiversity in the ocean,' said Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance. "We're in the middle of a biodiversity and climate crisis. We absolutely have to protect the ocean to address those crises.' But even in waters already designated as protected, enforcement often falls short. Many countries, France included, face criticism from environmental groups over weak regulation and continued industrial activity within their marine protected areas. "The ambition is not there, the speed is not there, and the scale has not been there,' said Sílvia Tavares, project manager at Oceano Azul Foundation. "Moments like UNOC are key to changing that.' Several countries are expected to announce new marine protected areas during the conference, along with bans on bottom trawling and other destructive activities within their existing MPA networks. After Sunday's parade sail, the "Ocean Wonders' fleet will remain docked in Nice and open to the public until the conference concludes on June 13. - AP
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
World leaders head to France for UN summit on ocean threats
A protester takes part in the Blue March ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference in France on June 7. PHOTO: AFP World leaders head to France for UN summit on ocean threats NICE, France - World leaders descend on the French Riviera on June 8 ahead of a high-level summit to tackle a deepening crisis in the oceans driven by overfishing, climate change and pollution. The United Nations says oceans face an 'emergency' and leaders gathering in Nice will be under pressure to commit much-needed money and stronger protections for the ailing seas and the people who depend on them. The UN Ocean Conference must try to turn a corner as nations feud over deep-sea mining, plastic litter and exploitative fishing, against a backdrop of wider geopolitical tensions. About 50 heads of state and government are expected to attend, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his Argentine counterpart Javier Milei. On June 8, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to sail to Nice from Monaco, where he is attending a related event aimed at raising private capital for ocean conservation. He will be joined on the shimmering Mediterranean Sea by other vessels in a colourful maritime parade, before touring an exhibition centre on land transformed into the cavernous belly of a whale. In the evening, Mr Macron will host leaders for a dinner of Mediterranean fish ahead of the summit's formal opening on June 9. Peaceful demonstrations are expected over the five-day event and France has deployed 5,000 police to the heritage-listed city where scientists, business leaders and environmental activists are also attending in big numbers. A strong turnout is also expected from Pacific Island nations, whose delegations will demand greater financial assistance to fight the rising seas, marine trash and plunder of fisheries that threatens their very survival. The United States under President Donald Trump – whose recent push to fast-track seabed mining in international waters sparked global outrage – is not expected to send a delegation. Political will Conservationists have warned the summit – which will not produce a legally binding agreement – risks being a talk fest unless leaders come armed with concrete proposals for restoring marine health. Chief among these is securing the missing finance to get anywhere near protecting 30 per cent of the world's oceans by 2030, a globally agreed target. 'We've created this sort of myth that governments don't have money for ocean conservation,' Brian O'Donnell, director of Campaign for Nature, told reporters. 'There is money. There is not political will,' he said. So far, only around eight per cent of oceans are designated marine conservation zones and even less are considered truly protected. Greenpeace says at this rate, it could take another 82 years to reach the 30 per cent goal. In a boost this week, Samoa declared 30 per cent of its national waters under protection with the creation of nine new marine parks. Conservationists hope others at Nice follow suit. 'All eyes should be on the many Pacific leaders attending... Their ambition and dedication to ocean protection can serve as inspiration to all countries,' said Kevin Chand from the nonprofit group Pristine Seas. There has also been a concerted push for nations, including France, to ban bottom trawling – a destructive fishing method that indiscriminately scrapes the ocean floor. On June 7, Mr Macron told the Ouest-France newspaper that bottom trawling would be restricted in some national marine protected areas. Inching closer toward the numbers required to ratify a global treaty on harmful fishing subsidies, and another on high seas protection, will also be a summit priority. France is spearheading a separate push in Nice to build support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining ahead of a closely watched meeting of the International Seabed Authority in July. On June 8, an expert scientific panel will hand Mr Macron a list of recommendations for leaders at the summit, including pausing seabed exploration when so little is known about the deep oceans. AFP Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here.
