During the UN ocean summit, known as UNOC3, Mr. Guterres delivered a grave assessment during a press conference on the second day. The summit has gathered hundreds of government leaders, scientists, and civil society groups on France’s Côte D’Azur with the goal of addressing the growing crisis facing the world’s oceans.
The Secretary-General stressed the urgency of the situation, stating that we are on a mission to save our future by saving the ocean. He warned that we are quickly approaching a tipping point where recovery may no longer be possible.
Greed is identified as the main enemy driving our oceans towards collapse. The Secretary-General stated that greed leads to doubt, denies science, distorts truth, rewards corruption, and destroys life for profit. He urged all stakeholders to take responsibility and push back against these profit-driven forces, stating that we must reclaim what belongs to all of us.
The Secretary-General outlined four priorities for governments, business leaders, fishers, and scientists, emphasizing that everyone has a role to play in this fight. He called for a global coalition to take decisive action and provide necessary funding, stating that it is time to give back to the ocean after all it has given us.
In response to questions at the press conference, Mr. Guterres also highlighted the issue of deep-sea mining. He reiterated his warning that the deep ocean must not become a “Wild West” of unregulated exploitation and expressed support for the work of the International Seabed Authority in addressing this concern.
After the press conference, the Secretary-General visited Port Lympia and boarded a Portuguese schooner called Santa Maria Manuela. There, he met with members of the Oceano Azul Foundation, an organization dedicated to reversing the destruction of ocean environments worldwide.
More updates to follow.