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“We are the Ocean”

Thu, Jun 5th 2025, 10:23 AM
Environment

From the 9th to the 13th of June 2025, France will co-host, with Costa Rica, the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3). For this crucial event, around 100 Heads of State and Government will converge in Nice, 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 Ocean through tangible action.

The Ocean is our common good. It feeds and protects our peoples. It makes us dream and travel. It provides us with sustainable energy, trade, resources and infinite scientific knowledge.

One in three people relies on the Ocean for their livelihood, yet the Ocean is in danger. It’s an area that is still largely unknown, and lacks the global governance and funding necessary for its preservation. The figures are worrying: more than eight million tons of plastic end up in the Ocean every year, according to a study published in the journal Science. Moreover, more than a third of fish stocks suffer overfishing, while the movement of fish stocks, 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 Ocean.

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” can form an international pact for the conservation and sustainable use of the Ocean, 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 operational and action-focused, aiming for better governance, further financing, greater knowledge of the seas, and the involvement of stakeholders in coastal communities around the world.

When it comes to governance, the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 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 Ocean, are currently the only area not governed by international law. The lack of surveillance and common rules is causing a

real social and environmental disaster, with massive hydrocarbon and plastic pollution, illegal and unregulated fishing techniques, and the capture 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.

The protection of the Ocean also requires public and private financing, and support for a sustainable blue economy. To continue enjoying the incredible economic opportunities offered by the Ocean, 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 something that we don’t – or insufficiently – know? We need to enhance our knowledge of the Ocean and disseminate it more effectively. Today, we are capable of mapping the surface of the Moon or of Mars, but the depths of the Ocean – which covers 70% of Earth’s surface – remain unknown. Together, let’s mobilize science, innovation and education to better understand the Ocean and raise public awareness.

In the context of ever faster climate change, yet to be detected impacts of climate change, and overexploitation of marine resources, the Ocean is not an issue like any other. It’s everyone’s business. In a context in which multilateralism is being challenged, we must not forget our shared responsibilities between states and within states. The Ocean is a universal bond, crucial for our future. Together, we can make the third United Nations Ocean Conference a major turning point for all peoples, for future generations and for our planet.

France will be delighted to welcome to Nice the Bahamas, a country integrated with the sea and which is committed to protecting the Ocean. More than ever, we must take action together and make the third United Nations Ocean Conference a turning point.

The Bahamas is heavily reliant on a healthy ocean to sustain its rich marine biodiversity and ecosystem services, which support the social and economic wellbeing of its people, especially through its growing tourism industry, and to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. As a large ocean state, The Bahamas is committed to ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of its waters and actively participates in global ocean governance.

Over the years, the country has made significant strides in establishing a network of MPA’s to safeguard its marine ecosystems. In 2021, the government expanded MPAs by 5.3 million acres,

The government has also been dedicated to improving fisheries management practices, implementing programs to address climate change impacts on coastal areas, promoting education and awareness about marine issues and the importance of sustainable maritime practices. In November, 2024, The Bahamas Debt Conversion Project for Marine Conservation was launched to generate sustainable revenues for marine conservation, demonstrating a commitments to finance ocean protection and tangible action.

The Bahamas signed on to the BBNJ Agreement in April 2024 and is now on the path to ratification. Moreover, the country will be well represented at the upcoming Third United Nations Ocean Conference to be held in Nice, France, from 9 to 13 June 2025, with delegates from various departments and ministries which cover marine related affairs. The Bahamas looks forward to meaningfully participating in the UNOC3.

[signed]

Her Excellency Aude de Amorim, Non Resident Ambassador of the France to The Bahamas

Her Excellency Jerusa Ali, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Bahamas

From the 9th to the 13th of June 2025, France will co-host, with Costa Rica, the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3). For this crucial event, around 100 Heads of State and Government will converge in Nice, 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 Ocean through tangible action.
The Ocean is our common good. It feeds and protects our peoples. It makes us dream and travel. It provides us with sustainable energy, trade, resources and infinite scientific knowledge.
One in three people relies on the Ocean for their livelihood, yet the Ocean is in danger. It’s an area that is still largely unknown, and lacks the global governance and funding necessary for its preservation. The figures are worrying: more than eight million tons of plastic end up in the Ocean every year, according to a study published in the journal Science. Moreover, more than a third of fish stocks suffer overfishing, while the movement of fish stocks, 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 Ocean.
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” can form an international pact for the conservation and sustainable use of the Ocean, 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 operational and action-focused, aiming for better governance, further financing, greater knowledge of the seas, and the involvement of stakeholders in coastal communities around the world.
When it comes to governance, the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 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 Ocean, are currently the only area not governed by international law. The lack of surveillance and common rules is causing a
real social and environmental disaster, with massive hydrocarbon and plastic pollution, illegal and unregulated fishing techniques, and the capture 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.
The protection of the Ocean also requires public and private financing, and support for a sustainable blue economy. To continue enjoying the incredible economic opportunities offered by the Ocean, 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 something that we don’t – or insufficiently – know? We need to enhance our knowledge of the Ocean and disseminate it more effectively. Today, we are capable of mapping the surface of the Moon or of Mars, but the depths of the Ocean – which covers 70% of Earth’s surface – remain unknown. Together, let’s mobilize science, innovation and education to better understand the Ocean and raise public awareness.
In the context of ever faster climate change, yet to be detected impacts of climate change, and overexploitation of marine resources, the Ocean is not an issue like any other. It’s everyone’s business. In a context in which multilateralism is being challenged, we must not forget our shared responsibilities between states and within states. The Ocean is a universal bond, crucial for our future. Together, we can make the third United Nations Ocean Conference a major turning point for all peoples, for future generations and for our planet.
France will be delighted to welcome to Nice the Bahamas, a country integrated with the sea and which is committed to protecting the Ocean. More than ever, we must take action together and make the third United Nations Ocean Conference a turning point.
The Bahamas is heavily reliant on a healthy ocean to sustain its rich marine biodiversity and ecosystem services, which support the social and economic wellbeing of its people, especially through its growing tourism industry, and to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. As a large ocean state, The Bahamas is committed to ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of its waters and actively participates in global ocean governance.
Over the years, the country has made significant strides in establishing a network of MPA’s to safeguard its marine ecosystems. In 2021, the government expanded MPAs by 5.3 million acres,
The government has also been dedicated to improving fisheries management practices, implementing programs to address climate change impacts on coastal areas, promoting education and awareness about marine issues and the importance of sustainable maritime practices. In November, 2024, The Bahamas Debt Conversion Project for Marine Conservation was launched to generate sustainable revenues for marine conservation, demonstrating a commitments to finance ocean protection and tangible action.
The Bahamas signed on to the BBNJ Agreement in April 2024 and is now on the path to ratification. Moreover, the country will be well represented at the upcoming Third United Nations Ocean Conference to be held in Nice, France, from 9 to 13 June 2025, with delegates from various departments and ministries which cover marine related affairs. The Bahamas looks forward to meaningfully participating in the UNOC3.
[signed]
Her Excellency Aude de Amorim, Non Resident Ambassador of the France to The Bahamas
Her Excellency Jerusa Ali, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Bahamas
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