Ocean preservation confronts unprecedented difficulties, according to Prince William, before the U.N. meeting.
The third United Nations Ocean Conference kicks off on Monday, with Prince William among the attendees pushing nations to convert decades-old promises into tangible ocean protection. The summit arrives as only 2.7% of the ocean is effectively shielded from destructive activities, well below the agreed-upon "30x30" target to conserve 30% of land and sea by 2030.
The primary focus of this year's conference lies in ratifying the High Seas Treaty, adopted in 2023. This treaty allows nations to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which encompass nearly two-thirds of the ocean and are predominantly ungoverned.
Prince William, heir to the British throne, urged action in light of rising sea temperatures, pollution, and overfishing putting pressure on fragile ecosystems and the people depending on them. Speaking at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco, he emphasized the urgent need to act, stating, "The ocean is under immense threat, but it can recover if we act now."
Mauro Randone, regional projects manager at the World Wildlife Fund's Mediterranean Marine Initiative, reiterated the sentiment, referring to the high seas as the "Wild West," where countries fish without regulation. However, he noted a change in the winds as countries commit to establishing rules for these vast waters.
The ocean plays a vital role in stabilizing Earth's climate and sustaining life, generating half of the oxygen we breathe, absorbing around 30% of carbon dioxide emissions, and capturing more than 90% of excess heat from those emissions. Without a healthy ocean, experts warn, meeting climate goals will be unattainable.
The treaty will only become law once 60 countries ratify it. As of now, just 32 countries have ratified it. Advocates hope the conference will generate enough momentum to pass the 60-country threshold, ushering in the first official Oceans Conference of Parties.
Several countries, such as South Korea, France, and the European Union, have championed the treaty. Nevertheless, most large ocean nations, including the rest of the G20, have yet to ratify it. The conference is expected to attract thousands of delegates, heads of state, scientists, and industry leaders, with the United States yet to confirm a formal delegation.
Despite declarations of marine protection, there's a stark gap between commitments and real-world conservation. For example, France, the conference co-host, claims to have met the 30% target for marine protection. However, environmental groups argue that only 3% of French waters are fully protected from harmful activities such as bottom trawling and industrial fishing. Similar criticisms are echoed across Europe, with only 2% of E.U. waters having management plans in place.
The conference's panels will cover topics like blue finance, sustainable fisheries, and plastic pollution, with deep sea mining and climate adaptation funding for small island states potentially being discussed as well. The outcome of these discussions will form the Nice Ocean Action Plan, a non-binding declaration of voluntary commitments. Peter Thomson, U.N. special envoy for the ocean, emphasized the urgency of the plan: "There cannot be a healthy planet without a healthy ocean."
- To address the urgent need for ocean protection and conservation, funding for environmental science, mental health, and health-and-wellness initiatives could be allocated to support the implementation of the High Seas Treaty and the "30x30" target.
- The economy, climate change, and science communities should collaborate to develop innovative strategies for ocean governance, particularly in ungoverned international waters, in order to mitigate threats from destructive activities such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change.
- In line with the focus on the ocean's role in regulating climate and sustaining life, further funding could be directed towards research in oceanic ecosystems, climate change, and health-and-wellness to understand the interrelationships and inform effective policy and action.
