UN Ocean Conference ends with ‘momentum and missed chances’

Organisers say Nice “has won the bet of the ocean” but critics argue that commitments made at the third UN Ocean Conference don’t go far enough.

Last week’s UN Ocean Conference, attended by 64 heads of state and government and 12,000 delegates, ended on June 13 with a number of new voluntary commitments – both individual and collective.

High Seas Treaty ‘within reach’

Most significantly, 56 states have now ratified or started the ratification process of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, and 12 more countries have committed to depositing their instruments of ratification by September 2025. 

This means the treaty, which regulates activities in international waters covering 64% of the ocean, is now expected to enter into force by January 2026, triggering the first Conference of the Parties for the Ocean (COP1) that year. 

“After 20 years, the High Seas Treaty is finally within reach. But that final push didn't happen in Nice — and now pressure is on remaining governments to make it legally binding,” commented Tom Pickerell, Global Director of the World Resources Institute (WRI) Ocean Programme.

Deep sea mining: talks progress while US push continues

On the issue of deep-sea mining – a controversial activity the US is determined to push unilaterally – 37 countries declared “a precautionary pause” until abyssal ecosystems and the consequences of their exploitation are better understood. 

In addition, 23 states have published a joint statement to mobilise the international community around this topic, arguing that “protecting deep-sea ecosystems is not only a legal imperative but above all a scientific, environmental and economic one”.

But while these were gathered in Nice to discuss how to protect oceans, the US continued its efforts to accelerate permitting for deep sea mining: on June 12, the US Department of the Interior initiated the first step for a potential mineral lease sale off the coast of American Samoa – despite the territory’s moratorium on this activity.

Greenpeace USA has condemned the “deeply disappointing move”, which it says “disregards the sovereignty and voices of Pacific communities and opens the door to an industry that threatens their environment, culture, and livelihoods”. 

‘Painfully slow’ curbing of harmful fishing practices

On the issue of overfishing and harmful practices, the Nice conference achieved little. French President Emmanuel Macron was strongly criticised by activists for announcing a “new” ban on bottom trawling in 4% of the countries’ waters on the first day of the event – in areas that turned out to already be protected.

But other countries made more significant announcements: the UK, for example, proposed an extension of its bottom trawling ban to around 30,000 km2 of its waters, covering 41 marine protected areas. Denmark also introduced a similar ban on 17% of its sea area last February.

“Progress on ratifying the agreement to curb harmful fisheries subsidies remains painfully slow, with only Panama joining so far and 9 more ratifications needed. To keep our oceans healthy and fisheries thriving for the future, governments must act urgently,” warned WRI’s Pickerell.