Ships in the port of Nice sounded their fog-horns on Friday, a brassy crescendo to a rare moment of global unity as the Third Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Ocean Conference drew to a close.
Moments earlier, more than 170 countries had adopted by consensus a sweeping political declaration promising urgent action to protect the ocean.
¡°We close this historic week not just with hope, but with concrete commitment, clear direction, and undeniable momentum,¡± Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of the summit, told reporters.
Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, the five-day event brought 15,000 participants, including more than 60 Heads of State and Government, to France¡¯s Mediterranean coast.
With over 450 side events and nearly 100,000 visitors, the gathering, dubbed?, built on the momentum of previous ocean summits in??(2017) and?(2022). It culminated in a shared call to expand marine protection, curb pollution, regulate the high seas, and unlock financing for vulnerable coastal and island nations.
Ambitious pledges
The conference¡¯s outcome, known as the?Nice Ocean Action Plan, is a two-part framework that comprises a political declaration and over 800 voluntary commitments by governments, scientists, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ agencies, and civil society since the previous conference.
¡°These range from advocacy by youth to deep-sea ecosystem literacy, capacity building in science and innovation, and pledges to ratify intergovernmental treaties,¡± Mr. Li said.
The pledges unveiled this week reflected the breadth of the ocean crisis.?The European Commission announced an investment of €1 billion?to support ocean conservation, science, and sustainable fishing, while?French Polynesia pledged to create the world¡¯s largest marine protected area, encompassing its entire exclusive economic zone ¨C about five million square kilometers.
Germany launched a?€100-million programme to remove underwater munitions?from the Baltic and North Seas. In addition,?New Zealand committed $52 million to strengthen ocean governance?in the Pacific, and?Spain announced five new marine protected areas.
A 37-country coalition led by Panama and Canada launched the?High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean?to tackle underwater noise pollution. Meanwhile, Indonesia and the World Bank introduced a ¡®Coral Bond¡¯ to help finance reef conservation in the country.
¡°The waves of change have formed,¡± Mr. Li said. ¡°It is now our collective responsibility to propel them forward ¨C for our people, our planet, and future generations.¡±
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