Transforming Promises into Action: The UN Ocean Conference in France Pushes for Real Marine Conservation

The third United Nations Ocean Conference kicks off in Nice this week. The focus? Turning decades of promises into real action for ocean protection. Right now, only about 2.7% of our oceans are effectively protected from harmful activities like fishing. This is far from the bold goal of conserving 30% of land and sea by 2030, known as the “30×30” pledge.

A hot topic at this year’s gathering is the High Seas Treaty, adopted in 2023. For the first time, this treaty could allow countries to create marine protected areas in international waters, which make up nearly two-thirds of the ocean and often lack oversight.

“It’s like the Wild West out there,” says Mauro Randone from the World Wildlife Fund. Countries have been fishing freely without rules. But now, there’s a move to change that. The ocean is vital for our planet. It produces 50% of our oxygen and absorbs a significant amount of carbon dioxide. If the ocean isn’t healthy, experts warn, climate goals are unreachable.

To make the treaty effective, 60 countries must ratify it. As of now, only 32 have done so. Advocates hope the conference can spur more nations to commit, paving the way for meaningful ocean protections.

Minna Epps from the International Union for Conservation of Nature emphasizes that two-thirds of the ocean are beyond national control. “We can’t protect 30% of the ocean without the high seas being included,” she says.

France and the European Union have led in supporting the treaty, but many major ocean nations, especially in the G20, have yet to join in. Thousands are attending the conference, from diplomats to scientists, but the U.S. hasn’t confirmed its participation.

While many countries declare protected areas, the real story on the ground often tells a different tale. For example, France claims to have surpassed the 30% target, but environmental groups argue that only about 3% of its waters are genuinely safe from harmful activities like industrial fishing.

A striking report from the World Wildlife Fund reveals that while over 11% of Europe’s marine area has been marked for protection, merely 2% has active management plans. “The government calls these areas protected, but it’s mainly a façade,” claims Enric Sala from National Geographic.

Port-Cros National Park in France stands out as a successful model. Here, strict regulations have allowed marine life to thrive. “We see species here that are larger and denser than in other Mediterranean areas,” says Hubert Flavigny, a dive center manager.

The call for better protection is urgent. Industrial fishing continues to push back against stronger regulations, despite evidence that healthy reserves help boost fish populations in nearby waters. “The real threat isn’t protection; it’s overfishing,” Sala adds.

As frustration grows over government inaction, groups like Greenpeace are taking matters into their own hands. They recently dropped limestone boulders in protected areas to block bottom trawling, which is still happening against scientific warnings.

The conference will cover pressing issues like sustainable fisheries and plastic pollution. Deep-sea mining might also come up, as small island nations push for more funds to adapt to climate changes. The outcome will form the Nice Ocean Action Plan, a set of voluntary commitments for the future.

Peter Thomson, U.N. special envoy for the ocean, sums it up: "There can’t be a healthy planet without a healthy ocean." The stakes could not be higher, and the time to act is now.

For thorough coverage on environmental policy, visit AP News.

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Minna Epps,environment,Climate,Fabien Boileau,Mauro Randone,Hubert Flavigny,Annika Hammerschlag,Peter Thomson,World news