As the UN summit, known as UNOC3, approaches its conclusion on Friday, delegates are emphasizing the importance of small island nations in the ocean declaration.
Li Junhua, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, stated that the past four days of the conference have shown rare solidarity in regards to Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) – the protection of life below water.
He added that this demonstrates the significant impact of the conference on the future of the ocean.
Taking place on the sunny Côte d’Azur in France, UNOC3 is expected to end with the adoption of a consensus-backed package aimed at securing the future of the world’s oceans.
The package includes a political declaration and voluntary commitments from participating nations, collectively known as the Nice Ocean Action Plan.
The draft declaration, titled ‘Our Ocean, Our Future: United for Urgent Action,’ has undergone four rounds of intense negotiations and highlights the need for immediate and transformative measures to protect the ocean, addressing concerns such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and depletion of marine resources.
In addition, the declaration outlines measures to protect marine ecosystems and promote sustainable ocean-based economies. It also emphasizes the need for increased funding and the fulfillment of existing commitments under international agreements to drive global ocean initiatives forward.
The draft also emphasizes the close connection between the ocean, climate, and biodiversity, urging nations to fully implement the Convention on Biological Diversity. It also reaffirms commitment to a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution, emphasizing a comprehensive approach that addresses plastic throughout its lifecycle.
The final negotiations are currently taking place and the outcome will be reported tomorrow, revealing whether nations have reached a consensus to address the global ocean emergency and turn pledges into meaningful marine protection.
Small island nations play a crucial role in shaping the declaration as they are the most vulnerable to rising seas and marine degradation. Their first-hand experience and leadership are essential in creating effective and inclusive ocean policies.
Safiya Sawney, Special Envoy and Ambassador for Climate of Grenada, expressed her pleasure in seeing the reference to the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS) in the draft outcome. The ABAS was adopted during the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in May 2024.
Ms. Sawney stated that including the ABAS in the UNOC3 political declaration shows growing unity among island nations. She emphasized that despite challenges, small islands are committed to implementing all obligations under the ABAS, demonstrating their determination to turn commitments into action.
She also mentioned that small island nations are leveraging their strength and experience from past climate talks to shape the global ocean agenda. She emphasized that while compromise is necessary in healthy multilateralism, nature cannot be compromised.
To ensure the success of the ocean agenda, Ms. Sawney suggested that some countries need to do more than others and small island developing states are asking for real action, not just financial support, from these countries.
At UNOC3, small island developing states are collectively referred to as “large ocean nations” and are working together to participate in and shape the global ocean agenda. Caribbean governments have launched the Actioning Blue: Caribbean 30×30 Vision for the Ocean, which calls for collective regional advocacy aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and SDG14.
Ms. Sawney explained that 12 Caribbean governments, including independent states and territories, have endorsed the Vision and one additional government has expressed interest. She also highlighted the region’s over-reliance on external help and the need to change this by building their own capacity and taking ownership of implementation.
As the conference comes to an end, Ms. Sawney expressed hope for the future and emphasized that the real work begins after the conference, with the Caribbean Islands determined to continue working towards their goals and seeking international support.