World leaders demand an end to ocean plundering at UN summit

France hosted the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice starting June 9, 2025, bringing together leaders from over 120 countries and more than 50 heads of state to address urgent issues regarding global ocean health. This conference coincided with World Oceans Day, with events highlighting the significance of the ocean’s role in supporting biodiversity, regulating climate, and sustaining livelihoods globally. Delegates were urged to transform pledges into actionable protection measures to combat the critical situation of oceans facing rising temperatures, pollution, and overfishing. At this summit, discussions focused on the urgent need to ratify the High Seas Treaty, which aims to create marine protected areas in international waters covering nearly two-thirds of the ocean, traditionally ungoverned. Although the treaty was adopted in 2023, only 32 nations had ratified it as of this conference. In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the ocean's critical role in absorbing excess heat and the consequences if countries fail to commit to its protection. Leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the collective responsibility of nations to safeguard ocean resources against unsustainable practices such as deep-sea mining and industrial fishing. Environmental advocates echoed concerns regarding the insufficiency of current protection laws, with only 2.7% of the ocean deemed effectively protected from destructive human activity, falling far short of the global target of 30% by 2030. The conference aims to solidify commitments among nations while emphasizing the financial investments and political will needed to enact and enforce effective marine protection strategies. The outcome of this summit could fundamentally affect ocean management and preservation efforts, marking a pivotal moment in international environmental governance.