· 3 min read
illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Associated Press or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) has opened in Nice, France, under intensifying global pressure to translate ocean protection pledges into tangible outcomes
• Central to the summit is the ratification of the 2023 High Seas Treaty, which would allow for legally binding marine protections in international waters — currently among the least regulated parts of the ocean
• As of now, only 32 of the 60 required countries have ratified the treaty
🔭 The context: Despite commitments under the global “30x30” pledge — to protect 30% of oceans and land by 2030 — just 2.7% of ocean areas are currently under effective conservation
• Much of this shortfall is due to the lack of regulation in the high seas, which cover nearly two-thirds of the world’s ocean and remain largely beyond national jurisdiction
• France, co-host of the conference, claims it has met the 30% target, but only a small fraction of its waters are fully protected from destructive activities like industrial fishing
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Oceans are critical to planetary stability, producing half the Earth’s oxygen and absorbing over 90% of the excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions
• Without stronger and enforceable protections, key climate and biodiversity targets will be unreachable
• The High Seas Treaty could be a landmark step in safeguarding marine ecosystems, though its success hinges on widespread ratification and real enforcement — not just declarations
⏭️ What's next: The UNOC will culminate in the Nice Ocean Action Plan, a set of voluntary commitments to be submitted to the UN General Assembly in July
• Key topics include blue finance, plastic pollution, deep-sea mining, and sustainable fisheries
• Civil society groups are also demanding stricter enforcement and calling out “paper parks” — protected areas that exist in name only
• As momentum builds, attention will shift to whether G20 nations and key maritime states will join the treaty and commit to actual enforcement mechanisms
💬 One quote: “Two-thirds of the ocean is areas beyond national jurisdiction — that’s half our planet,” — Minna Epps, Director of Global Ocean Policy at the IUCN. “We cannot possibly protect 30% of the ocean if it doesn’t include the high seas.”
📈 One stat: Only 2% of EU marine waters currently have management plans in place, despite 11% being designated as protected
Click for more news covering the latest on nature and public governance
