Addressing delegates at the port of Nice, the UN Secretary-General emphasized the importance of the ocean as a shared resource. However, he also expressed concern over the current state of the ocean, stating that we are failing to protect it.
According to Guterres, the ocean is facing multiple threats, including overfishing, rising temperatures, plastic pollution, and acidification. These issues are causing damage to coral reefs and fish stocks, and could potentially lead to devastating consequences such as submerging deltas and destroying crops.
Over 50 Heads of State and Government, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, attended the opening ceremony, highlighting the significance of the summit.
The five-day gathering, known as UNOC3, has attracted participation from over 120 countries, underscoring the growing recognition that ocean health is closely tied to issues such as climate stability, food security, and global equity.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who co-hosted the summit with Costa Rica, emphasized the need for science, law, and multilateral cooperation in addressing ocean-related challenges.
Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles also spoke at the opening ceremony, thanking Guterres for bringing the issue of ocean health to the global agenda. He urged for a shift from exploiting the ocean to protecting it, and called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining until the risks can be adequately assessed.
The summit’s main objective is to support the implementation of the High Seas Treaty, also known as the BBNJ accord, which aims to protect life in international waters. Macron announced that the treaty is close to becoming binding international law, with over 50 ratifications and commitments from 15 additional countries.
The opening speeches made it clear that the summit will involve high-stakes negotiations on issues such as plastic pollution, ocean finance, and seabed mining. Hundreds of new pledges are expected to be announced, building on the over 2,000 voluntary commitments made since the first UN Ocean Conference in 2017.
The summit will also result in the adoption of a political declaration and the unveiling of the Nice Ocean Action Plan, which aligns with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and aims to protect 30% of marine and terrestrial ecosystems by 2030.
In his remarks, Guterres warned against treating the deep sea as the “Wild West” and emphasized the need for bold models to attract private capital to support ocean conservation efforts. He also stressed the importance of Sustainable Development Goal 14, which focuses on life below water, and called for increased funding to achieve this goal.
The cultural segment of the opening ceremony included a traditional conch shell blowing by Polynesian climate activist Ludovic Burns Tuki, symbolizing the call for collective action to protect the ocean. The summit will also feature high-level action panels on conserving and restoring marine ecosystems and strengthening scientific cooperation and education.
Overall, the goal of the summit is to promote sustainable practices and address the pressing issues facing the ocean, with the hope of preserving it for future generations.