Latest news with #UnitedNationsOceanConference
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
You won't believe what Wilson from Cast Away looks like today
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Wilson surely remains the most famous volleyball in Hollywood. Yet, in the incredible 25 years that have passed since he made his big screen splash as supporting actor to Tom Hanks in 2000's Cast Away, he's yet to get another major role. These days, AI can make Tom Hanks look any age (see our piece on Tom Hanks' de-aging in Here). But what would Wilson look like? A sobering new campaign shows us. The Odyssey of Wilson campaign mixes immersive website design, a short film, public installations in coastal cities and live activations during sports broadcasts. With the agency Africa Creative helming creative development, it was created by the Onda Azul Institute with telecoms company Vivo to promote UNESCO's new scientific frameworks ahead of the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice. Wilson's imagined path through the world's oceans is used as a metaphor for the long-term degradation caused by plastics, bringing real datasets to life in a devastating interactive journey that covers 450 years of environmental change – the time it will take for Wilson to decay. The experience traces currents, tides, and climate events to visualise the famous volleyball's transformation into microplastics, taking in ecological disasters like acidification, ice shelf collapse and rising sea levels along the way. Scientific data can often be dry and off-putting, but in Wilson's story, Africa Creative have found a clever device to transform complex data into a story that resonates emotionally. 'This project is about making science human,' says André Luis Esteves, director at the Rio de Janeiro-based Onda Azul Institute. 'By following the journey of a simple object, we illustrate decades of invisible damage caused by plastic waste – and why it urgently needs global attention. With Vivo and inspired by UNESCO's scientific leadership, we've transformed data into a story people can feel.''Science alone doesn't move people – stories do," adds Raphael Vandystadt, VP of Sustainability at Africa Creative. "By turning complex data into a powerful visual journey, we help make the invisible visible. Communication plays a strategic role in mobilizing collective action for our oceans ahead of the UN Ocean Conference.' Add some effective interactive web design, and the campaign becomes an engaging experience and a powerful call to action aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. You can see the full web experience at For more of the week's news in creative branding and marketing, see the new Vitaminwater logo and the demise of McDonald's CosMc's.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
UN Aims To Transform Urgency Into Action At Nice Ocean Conference
27 May 2025 The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) from 9-13 June will bring together Heads of State, scientists, civil society and business leaders around a single goal: to halt the silent collapse of the planet's largest – and arguably most vital – ecosystem. The ocean is suffocating due to rising temperatures, rampant acidification, erosion of biodiversity, plastic invasion, predatory fishing. 'A state of emergency' ' Our planet's life support system is in a state of emergency,' said Li Junhua, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Secretary-General of the upcoming summit. He insisted that there is still time to change course. ' The future of the ocean is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the decisions and actions that we are making now,' Mr. Li said on Tuesday during a press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York. In the eyes of the senior official, UNOC 3 'will not be just another routine gathering.' 'We hope that it proves to be the pivotal opportunity to accelerate action and mobilize all stakeholders across the sectors and borders.' World-class conference More than 50 world leaders are expected on the Côte d'Azur, alongside 1,500 delegates from nearly 200 countries. The programme includes 10 plenary meetings, 10 thematic roundtables, a blue zone reserved for official delegations, and a series of parallel forums during five days of negotiations. For France, which is co-hosting the conference alongside Costa Rica, the challenge is clear: to make Nice a historic milestone. 'This is an emergency,' declared Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the UN, during the press conference. 'An ecological emergency: we are witnessing the deterioration of the quality of the oceans as an environment, as a reservoir of biodiversity, as a carbon sink.' France hopes to make the conference a turning point and the goal 'is to produce a Nice agreement that is pro-oceans, as the Paris Agreement 10 years ago now was for the climate.' This agreement will take the form of a Nice Action Plan for the Ocean, a 'concise action-oriented declaration,' according to Mr. Li, accompanied by renewed voluntary commitments. Three milestones Three events will prepare the ground for UNOC 3. The One Ocean Science Congress, from 4-6 June, will bring together several thousand researchers. The Summit on Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience to be held the following day will explore responses to rising sea levels. Finally, the Blue Economy Finance Forum, on 7-8 June in Monaco, will mobilize investors and policymakers. For Costa Rican Ambassador Maritza Chan Valverde, there is no more time for procrastination. ' We're expecting concrete commitments with clear timelines, budgets and accountability mechanisms. What is different this time around, zero rhetoric, maximum results,' she said. 'Transform ambition into action' The conference's theme Accelerating Action and Mobilizing All Stakeholders to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean will address several topics, ranging from sustainable fishing to marine pollution and the interactions between climate and biodiversity. ' This is our moment to transform ambition into action,' Mr. Li concluded, calling for governments, businesses, scientists, and civil society to come together in a common spirit. He also praised the 'visionary leadership' of France and Costa Rica, without whom this large-scale mobilization would not have been possible. A slogan promoted by Costa Rica seems to sum up the spirit of the summit: 'Five days. One ocean. One unique opportunity.'
Daily Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
'We are the Oceans'
From 9 to 13 June 2025, France will be hosting the third United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (UNOC, or United Nations Ocean Conference). For this crucial event, some 100 Heads of State and Government will converge, as well as tens of thousands of researchers, scientists, economic actors, activists and citizens from around the world. On this occasion, France's aim will be clear: protecting the oceans through tangible action. It is, indeed, through concrete actions that we can protect the ocean. France, a pioneer in marine protection, is taking decisive action. The first French marine reserve was created in 1941 (the Leprédour Island Nature Reserve in New Caledonia). One-third (33.4%) of France's maritime area is now covered by at least one marine protected area. Globally, France supports the goal of protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030, compared with 8.4% today. Bahrain is also fully committed to this goal. We welcome, for example, its commitment to quadruple mangrove coverage by 2035. In February 2025, Bahrain joined the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) to combat illegal fishing and committed to implementing regulations to protect marine biodiversity. These commitments were renewed by the highest authorities during Regional Environment Day on April 24. The oceans belong to all of us. They feed and protect our peoples. They inspire dreams and enable travel. They offer sustainable energy, means to trade, resources and infinite scientific knowledge. One in three people relies on the oceans for their livelihood, yet the oceans are in danger. They remain little-known, with neither global governance nor the financing needed for their preservation. The numbers are worrying: more than eight million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year, according to a study in Science. Moreover, more than a third of fish stocks suffer overfishing, while ocean acidification, rising sea levels and the destruction of marine ecosystems gain pace, as direct consequences of climate change. We must act now. More than ever before, we must make sure that multilateral action is equal to the challenges of protecting the oceans. Ten years after COP21 and the Paris Agreement, which established a binding global framework to limit climate change, the third United Nations Ocean Conference is a historic opportunity. The 'Nice Ocean Agreements' will form a genuine international compact for conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, fully in line with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. To this end, the talks in Nice need to be very operational and action-focused, aiming for better governance, more financing and greater knowledge of the seas. When it comes to governance, the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) is essential. The high seas, which represent more than 60% of the oceans, are currently the only space not governed by international law. The lack of oversight and common rules is causing a real social and environmental disaster, with massive hydrocarbon and plastic pollution, illegal and unregulated fishing techniques, and the taking of protected mammals. To end this legal vacuum, we need the BBNJ Agreement to be ratified by 60 countries, so as to come into force. France submitted its instrument of ratification of the BBNJ Agreement to the United Nations on February 5 and encourages all countries that share the desire to protect the ocean to do the same. The protection of the oceans also requires public and private financing and support for a sustainable blue economy. To continue enjoying the incredible economic opportunities offered by the oceans, we need to make sure marine resources can regenerate. In Nice, several commitments will be announced for global trade, shipping, tourism and investment. Lastly, how can we protect what we know not – or know insufficiently? We need to enhance our knowledge of the oceans and share it better. Today, we are capable of mapping the surface of the Moon or of Mars, but the depths of the oceans – which cover 70% of Earth's surface – remain unknown. Together, we need to put science, innovation and education to work to better understand the oceans and raise public awareness. In the context of ever faster climate change and overexploitation of marine resources, the oceans are not just one more issue: they are everyone's business. We must not forget our shared responsibility in the context of challenges to multilateralism. The oceans join us all together and are central to our future. Together, we can make the third United Nations Ocean Conference a turning point for our peoples, for future generations and for our planet.
Daily News Egypt
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt, France coordinate ahead of UN Ocean Conference to combat plastic pollution
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, held a virtual meeting on Saturday with French Minister for Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, to strengthen cooperation ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference scheduled for June in Nice, France. The ministers discussed Egypt's active participation in the conference and explored collaborative measures to address plastic pollution, with a special focus on the Mediterranean region. The meeting included senior Egyptian officials, such as the heads of the Environmental Affairs Agency and the Waste Management Regulatory Authority. Fouad commended France's leadership in ocean protection and biodiversity conservation and called for a unified Mediterranean strategy addressing key challenges including the blue economy, biodiversity frameworks, and plastic pollution. She proposed that the conference adopt 'Blue Economy and Mediterranean Sustainability' as a central theme, especially as Egypt prepares to host the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea later this year. The dialogue also covered ongoing international negotiations for a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution under the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC). Fouad reaffirmed Egypt's support for a balanced and transparent agreement that respects the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, while ensuring financial support for developing countries to meet their environmental targets. 'Plastic is essential in many areas, but we must reduce its harmful impact through investment in recycling technologies and by phasing out unnecessary uses,' Fouad stated. She highlighted Egypt's recent reforms, including a Cabinet decision introducing extended producer responsibility and fees on single-use plastic bags, following two years of consultations with industry stakeholders. The minister also highlighted grassroots efforts such as the Nile cleanup program, which engages local fishermen and women in plastic waste recovery and recycling, creating green jobs and supporting sustainable community development. France's Pannier-Runacher welcomed Egypt's proactive approach and emphasized the urgency of reaching a global agreement to reduce plastic consumption and redesign production models. She noted that plastic alternatives and enhanced recycling are critical to reducing ocean pollution and preserving marine biodiversity. Minister Fouad has been officially invited to attend the Ocean Conference, where she will lead a high-level roundtable showcasing Egypt's achievements in nature conservation and plastic reduction. This event will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Mediterranean Action Plan, underscoring the region's ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability.
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
UN Ocean Conference: 'Human Rights Must Be At The Heart Of Ocean Governance,' Urges UN Expert
The Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, Astrid Puentes Riaño, today urged world leaders to anchor ocean policy in human rights. 'Human rights cannot be an afterthought,' said Puentes Riaño, ahead of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) taking place in Nice, France, from 9 to 13 June. 'Human rights must be the core of ocean governance and of every ocean pledge,' she said. The Conference will culminate with the 'Nice Ocean Action Plan,' a political declaration accompanied by a registry of voluntary commitments from States, businesses and other stakeholders. The Special Rapporteur called on all delegations to ensure the political declaration expressly includes human rights- and ecosystem-based approaches, and incorporates the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. 'The Plan and its commitments must be firmly grounded in human rights and geared towards promoting ocean and marine conservation,' Puentes Riaño said. She stressed that it requires clear alignment with efforts to phase out extractive practices that harm marine ecosystems, and a commitment to the precautionary principle — ensuring potential ocean damage is prevented, even without full scientific certainty regarding severe and irreversible damages, as in the context of activities such as deep-seabed mining and geoengineering. 'Commitments must also advance access to information, public participation and access to justice for everyone, including coastal communities, fisherfolk, Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, women, children and youth, LGBTI, and people with disabilities,' the expert said. In a recent report, the Special Rapporteur warned that ocean degradation is a human rights crisis. She urged the Ocean Conference to embed the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment at every level of decisionmaking. 'Human rights obligations extend beyond States and include businesses, which must respect them in all ocean-related operations. They must implement rigorous human rights and environmental due diligence, systematically assessing and publicly reporting the impact of their activities,' the expert said. On 3 April 2025, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a landmark resolution on the ocean and human rights. The Council encouraged States to consider the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in the Conference's proceedings and outcomes, and to take these principles into account in the run-up to the UN Ocean Conference in Nice in 2025. 'Ocean issues are human rights issues, yet this connection is all too often overlooked in practice,' Puentes Riaño said. 'We urgently need a fundamental shift in how these challenges are addressed and managed at every level of policy and decision-making.'
