The French city of Nice concluded the works of the third international conference for oceans, where more than 170 countries have adopted an advertisement that required them to take urgent measures to maintain the oceans and use them in a sustainable manner, emphasize the increasing risks to the use of fossil fuels, and the call to accelerate the transition towards clean energy.
The United Nations stated that the political declaration “our surroundings, our future: united for urgent action” calls for concrete steps to expand protected marine areas, remove carbon from the maritime transport sector, combat maritime pollution, and fill in financing for the benefit of coastal and islands, among other priorities.
The results of the conference – known as the “Nice Oceanic Action Plan” – is a framework of two parts that include a political declaration and more than 800 voluntary commitment by governments, scientists, United Nations and civil society since the previous conference.
“We conclude this historic week not only with hope, but also with a tangible commitment and a clear and undeniable momentum,” said Lee John Hua, Undersecretary of the United Nations Secretary -General for Economic and Social Affairs, and the Secretary -General of the conference.
The UN official stressed the necessity of implementing the pledges that were presented this week strictly, tracked and expanded, noting that the momentum that has been achieved must continue to the Conference of the Parties “COP30” and the global and regional forums of the oceans, through national decision -making operations, and translate them into a decisive national move.
Ambitious obligations and pledges
Among the most prominent voluntary obligations – announced during the conference – confirms the communication of the European Commission’s declaration within the “Ocean Charter” to invest a billion euros to support the preservation of oceans, science and sustainable fishing.
Panama and Canada launched with the participation of 37 countries “The Higher Ambition Alliance for a Quiet Ocean” to be the first high political initiative to address the pollution of noise in the oceans globally.
Germany launched an immediate work program worth 100 million euros (115 million dollars) to restore and remove the remaining ammunition in the Baltic and North Bahri, and Spain pledged to establish 5 new marine areas, raising the protection rate to 25% of its marine lands.
The French Paulisia, located in the Pacific Ocean, also pledged to create the largest marine region in the world, covering its entire economic zone. New Zealand allocated more than $ 52 million to enhance governance, administration and marine science in the Pacific Islands area.
In the same context, Indonesia, in cooperation with the World Bank and other partners, launched “coral reefs, which is an innovative financial tool to mobilize special capital to protect coral reefs within protected marine areas.”
Italy has also allocated 6.5 million euros to enhance the censorship carried out by the Coast Guard in protected marine areas and oil platforms, using a space monitoring system that monitors oil leaks in actual time.
According to the United Nations statement, Canada has contributed 9 million dollars to “the work coalition for oceans and the ability to withstand” to support small, developing island states and developing coastal countries in the face of climate change through solutions based on nature.
UN agencies and international partners also adopted a participatory design process for the “One Ocean Financing” initiative, a new ambition to open billions of dollars in the ocean -based sectors and the blue economy.
In a big step towards entering into force of the Maritime Biological Diversity Agreement, areas outside the national mandate, known as the Treaty of the Protection of the High Seas, the statement indicates the approval of 19 additional countries on the agreement on the sidelines of the conference, and it was signed by 20 other countries, bringing the total number to 136 signatures, and 50 approval in addition to the European Union.
10 additional endeavors are still needed to enter into force. The agreement, which was adopted in June 2023, is a decisive legal tool for the protection of marine life and ecosystems in two -thirds of the oceans outside the mandate of any state.
Towards sustainable work
The conference was opened on June 9 and witnessed the participation of 55 heads of state and government, along with about 15,000 civil society and the business and science sector, in the conference, which was jointly hosted by the governments of France and Costa Rica.
The conference also included more than 450 side effects aimed at speeding up work and mobilizing all actors to maintain and use oceans.
It also issued 10 specialized work committees for future recommendations to direct the implementation of procedures through pivotal topics, such as marine pollution, nature -based solutions, and the role of women, youth and indigenous peoples in ocean management.
The conference was overwhelmed by the United States, which has been adopted since President Donald Trump’s arrival at the White House of policies described as denying climate work, while the Fourth UN Conference on Oceans will be held in 2028, with a joint hosting of Chile and the Republic of Korea, in which it is expected to monitor the obligations and pledges of the Nice Summit.