Press releaseBBNJ Because Our Planet Is Blue United Nations

At Nice Ocean Summit, Governments Evade Question of How to Achieve Agenda 2030 Goals for Ocean Protection

June 13, 2025

Despite courageous commitments by some countries, no firm international roadmap to reverse growing ocean degradation.

  • The international community’s commitment to achieving the UN’s targets under Sustainable Development Goal 14 (“Life Below Water”) remains dangerously insufficient, despite encouraging progress in some policy areas.
  • High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) reaches 50 ratifications: Entry into force within reach, with 19 more countries depositing their instruments of ratification during conference – but implementation will be true the test.
  • High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean, growing support for deep-sea mining moratorium and ministerial declaration for an ambitious Plastics Treaty offer glimmers of hope.
  • Offshore oil and gas exploration remains unaddressed undermining consistency in tackling climate and ocean crises.

While the UN Ocean Conference has generated momentum – with 19 new states depositing their instruments of ratification for the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) and growing calls for a moratorium on deep-sea mining – OceanCare considers the overall outcomes insufficient to meet the targets under the Sustainable Development Goal 14 “Life Below Water” (SDG14), particularly with regard to tackling marine pollution and overfishing. The conference has fallen short of delivering the transformative action urgently needed to address the Ocean crisis.

The establishment of the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean and the growing opposition to deep-sea mining offered some encouragement, however. The Nice Declaration for an ambitious Plastics Treaty, signed by over 90 countries, further renewed political momentum ahead of the final negotiations in Geneva this August. Nevertheless, these positive developments do not make up for the lost time or the lack of ambition in measures aimed at achieving the SDG14 targets.

Fabienne McLellan, Managing Director of OceanCare:

“With the overall state of the Ocean continuing to deteriorate, we are disappointed by the lack of responsibility shown by states who were unable to agree on a clear pathway forward that defines tangible conservation action. Little has changed in this respect since the last UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon in 2022, where we heard the same promises. The health of the Ocean is in freefall, and non-binding declarations will not reverse this trajectory. We needed a concrete action plan with clear timelines, but instead we got aspirational language.”

Advancements in the ratification of the High Seas Treaty bring it closer to reaching the threshold required for it to enter into force, offering hope for the legally binding protection of marine biodiversity beyond national waters.

Dr Johannes Müller, Ocean Policy Specialist at OceanCare:

“The BBNJ Agreement – or High Seas Treaty – is a landmark step for ocean protection. The growing wave of ratifications, particularly over the past week, signals real global momentum. But the real test lies ahead: only conservation-oriented and effective implementation will determine what this treaty truly delivers for our ocean.”

The High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean unites progressive nations dedicated to tackling underwater noise pollution caused by shipping.

Nicolas Entrup, Director of International Relations at OceanCare:

“This coalition recognises that shipping noise poses a critical threat to marine ecosystems. This initiative is vital for intensifying efforts towards measurably reducing noise emissions at source.

“It is disappointing that states continue to be inconsistent in their approach to tackling the climate and ocean crises. The continuation of exploration activities for new oil and gas deposits in the seabed remains unaddressed, with many states still granting licences. Allowing such a practice while paying mere lip service to ocean resilience in the face of climate change is hypocritical and inconsistent”.

With the final negotiations on the Plastic Treaty set to take place in Switzerland this summer, the Nice Declaration, signed by over 90 countries, demonstrates a renewed commitment to achieving an ambitious, binding global agreement.

Fabienne McLellan, Managing Director of OceanCare:

“The Nice Declaration on plastics at ministerial level is an encouraging sign that the majority of countries are maintaining their commitment to a robust Plastic Treaty. However, it must serve as a floor, not a ceiling. As countries head to Geneva in August, we ought to bear in mind that the final treaty must address plastic pollution throughout its entire lifecycle, including the introduction of globally binding rules to limit plastic production and phase out harmful plastic products and chemicals.”

OceanCare concludes that the core question of ‘how to achieve the targets to protect life below water’ remains unresolved. Nevertheless, the diplomatic efforts undertaken by a growing number of countries in these challenging geopolitical times reflect a strong commitment to multilateralism.

ENDS

Notes for editors

The third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, took place in Nice, France, from 9 to 13 June 2025. The conference aimed to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and to advance ocean-based solutions to global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement)

The High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) provides the necessary institutional structure to establish marine protected areas in the high seas and contains essential conservation tools, such as environmental impact assessments. As of 12 June 2025, the treaty has achieved 50 ratifications that count towards entry into force. A further 19 instruments of ratification were deposited during UNOC3 by Albania, the Bahamas, Belgium, Croatia, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, Fiji, Malta, Mauritania, Vanuatu, Greece, Guinea-Bissau (signed at the same time), Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan (signed at the same time), Liberia, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vietnam.

The treaty requires 60 ratifications to enter into force, meaning 10 more are needed to reach this critical threshold. During the conference, a further 20 more countries also signed the treaty, signalling their intent to ratify. Once the 60th ratification is deposited, the treaty will enter into force 120 days later.

High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean

The High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean was launched at UNOC3 by Panama and Canada alongside 35 other countries including the entire European Union, creating the first global political coalition dedicated to reducing harmful underwater noise pollution. The Coalition unites governments, indigenous communities, shipping industry leaders and environmental NGOs to tackle ocean noise which disrupts marine life’s ability to communicate, navigate and survive.

At the event, ministers signed a Declaration committing to advance quieter ship design through the International Maritime Organization, integrate noise reduction into marine protected areas, implement solutions to reduce the impact of vessel noise on sensitive marine wildlife, and support capacity building through shared tools and technologies. Underwater noise pollution from commercial shipping has a negative impact on marine life on a global scale by interfering with their ability to communicate, navigate and hunt.

Deep-Sea Mining

Growing opposition to deep-sea mining reflects mounting scientific evidence that such activities would cause extensive and irreversible biodiversity loss. The current scientific consensus is that deep-sea mining is incompatible with the principles of UNCLOS. This growing opposition therefore signals a meaningful shift towards prioritising ocean conservation over industrial exploitation.

Plastics Treaty

The Nice Declaration for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty, which has been signed by over 90 countries, demonstrates a renewed commitment ahead of the final negotiations on the Plastics Treaty in Geneva this August. While the ministerial declaration, initiated by the French government, is a commendable attempt to maintain momentum and build pressure for ambitious measures at the upcoming negotiations, it has also been criticised by civil society for its gaps, including the omission of human rights, the just transition and petrochemical extraction, as well as its vague language regarding effective implementation.

“Because Our Planet Is Blue” Campaign

In June 2024, OceanCare launched the “Because Our Planet Is Blue” campaign with a six-point action plan calling for: a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration; mandatory vessel speed reduction; a ban on destructive fisheries; global rules to end plastic pollution; a moratorium on deep-sea mining; and effective protection of marine habitats. These six demands serve as the benchmark for assessing the outcome of UNOC3 – not only for OceanCare, but also for the over 200 NGOs that co-signed the campaign’s open letter, and the more than 114,000 citizens worldwide who supported the petition over the past 12 months.

During UNOC3, campaign representatives handed over petition signatures, the campaign declaration, and an open letter on oil and gas to Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, and Juan Carlos Navarro, Panama’s Minister of Environment. The campaign’s transformative demands represent concrete, science-based solutions that address the root causes of ocean degradation. This makes them an essential yardstick for measuring whether governments are delivering the transformative action that the marine crisis demands.

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