{"id":295863,"date":"2025-06-26T14:30:43","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T13:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=295863"},"modified":"2025-06-30T10:58:25","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T09:58:25","slug":"third-ocean-conference-in-nice-navigating-hope-and-gaps-in-ocean-governance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/news\/third-ocean-conference-in-nice-navigating-hope-and-gaps-in-ocean-governance\/","title":{"rendered":"Third Ocean Conference in Nice: navigating hope and gaps in ocean governance\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From June 9 to 13, 2025, some 15.000 representatives from governments, civil society, Indigenous leaders, scientists, and financial institutions gathered in Nice for the <\/strong>third United Nations Ocean Conference<\/strong><\/a> (UNOC3) under the theme \u201cAccelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean\u201d. <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Headerphoto: A hydromedusa, seen at just over 3900 m and just above the seafloor along the west wall of Mona Canyon. \u00a9 NOAA OKEANOS EXPLORER Program, Oceano Profundo 2015; Exploring Puerto Rico\u2019s Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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For the first time, ocean issues were no longer treated as marginal to global environmental policy but framed as a central pillar of climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and economic justice.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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High Seas Treaty <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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A remarkable achievement in Nice was the progress toward ratifying the High Seas Treaty, formally known as the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) (see textbox<\/a>). The treaty, which was finalised in 2023 after years of negotiation, aims to protect marine life in international waters that have long existed in a legal grey zone. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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By the end of the conference, 51 countries had either ratified or committed to ratify the treaty, putting it within reach of the 60 ratifications needed for it to enter into force. The treaty\u2019s advancement symbolises a growing consensus that global commons must be governed with fairness and foresight. It represents an emerging paradigm that values collective responsibility over unchecked exploitation. The Netherlands has not yet ratified the BBNJ.\u202f <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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What is the High Seas Treaty? <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) refers to the\u202fAgreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, also known as the High Seas Treaty.\u202fIt’s an international agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).\u202fThe treaty aims to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which includes the high seas and the deep seabed.\u202fIt was adopted by UN Member States in 2023 and is open for signature until September 20, 2025. The agreement will enter into force 120 days after the 60th ratification.\u202f <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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While the BBNJ treaty is a groundbreaking tool to protect marine biodiversity in the high seas, it does not instantly turn all unprotected ocean areas into Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Instead, it establishes a framework to sustainably manage and conserve biodiversity in international waters (which cover about 70% of the ocean) through science-based measures, environmental impact assessments, and the creation of new MPAs where needed. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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For the vast majority of the ocean that remains outside designated MPAs, the BBNJ treaty promotes responsible use and stewardship rather than unrestricted exploitation. It introduces mechanisms to regulate activities like fishing, mining, and bioprospecting, requiring states to consider cumulative impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In essence, the treaty aims to safeguard ocean health across all areas, not just those formally protected, by embedding precaution, transparency, and international cooperation. While not every square kilometer will become a no-take zone, BBNJ aims to shift global ocean governance from a \u201cwild west\u201d to a managed commons, balancing conservation with sustainable use to preserve ocean functions and services for future generations. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Batfish (Halieutichthys sp.). \u00a9<\/em> NOAA OKEANOS EXPLORER Program, Gulf of Mexico 2014 Expedition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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Deep-sea mining in the spotlight <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Another urgent topic was the future of deep-sea mining<\/a>. As companies and some states continue to eye the ocean floor for minerals, resistance has grown. Speaking during the open plenary, French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the practice as \u201cmadness\u201d and called for a global moratorium, describing it as an international necessity.\u202fFour new countries <\/sup>[1]<\/sup><\/a> Slovenia, Latvia, Cyprus and the Marshall Islands<\/span><\/span>