UN Ocean Summit Concludes with Advances in Marine Protection Amid Funding Concerns
The recent UN Ocean Summit in Nice resulted in notable commitments to high seas protection and new marine areas but lacked clear financial resolutions.
The UN Ocean Summit concluded in Nice, France, with participants noting significant advances in the protection of high seas, although no definitive financial commitments were established.
The event convened approximately 60 global leaders and has been marked by discussions emphasizing the need for stronger protections in international waters and increased conservation measures for marine environments.
Among the key achievements of the summit was the ratification of the High Seas Treaty by around 50 countries.
Formalized on Monday, this agreement aims to enhance protections for the high seas, which are defined as waters beyond 200 nautical miles (approximately 370 kilometers) from shore.
The treaty's implementation is contingent on the necessary ratification from 60 countries, following which it would take effect 120 days after the milestone is reached.
France had aspired to achieve this number during the summit, but the requisite ratifications were not secured.
Environmental advocates responded positively to the treaty's ratification, with Rebecca Hubbard of the High Seas Alliance describing it as an “incredible breakthrough.” However, she cautioned that momentum must be maintained as the treaty's finalization is anticipated by the end of the year, opening avenues to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas.
Leaders also voiced strong opposition to deep-sea mining at the summit.
French President Emmanuel Macron deemed the practice as detrimental, labeling it “madness” and warning against the overexploitation of ocean resources.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres referred to the current state of deep-sea mining as a potential new “Wild West.” Despite this strong rhetoric, the coalition advocating for a moratorium on deep-sea mining saw only slight growth, increasing from 32 to 37 countries among the 169 members of the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
A series of announcements from countries such as Colombia, Samoa, Portugal, and Greece highlighted the creation and enhancement of MPAs, which may collectively raise the global protected ocean area from 8.34% to more than 10% by the end of the summit.
However, the limited action by France, which only restricted bottom trawling in 4% of its own maritime territories, drew criticism from environmental NGOs.
Notably absent from the final summit declaration were explicit mentions of fossil fuels, despite the consensus among experts that they represent a primary driver of ocean degradation.
Critics, including Vanuatu’s Environment Minister Ralph Regenvanu, lamented the omission, stressing that climate change significantly impacts marine ecosystems.
Alongside these concerns, discussions surrounding the estimated $175 billion needed annually to meet Sustainable Ocean Development Goals by 2030 were overshadowed by the lack of concrete funding commitments.
In Costa Rica, scrutiny has arisen regarding the government’s environmental initiatives, particularly related to the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge.
Environmental lawyer Marco Levy filed a formal complaint against Environment and Energy Minister Franz Tattenbach, alleging corruption and favoritism related to the Puket real estate project, which conflicts with the refuge's protected status.
This site, important for its biodiversity, has a history of illegal logging, raising alarms over unauthorized developments within safeguarded areas.
As Costa Rica prepares for its role in the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference in 2025, criticisms related to its current domestic environmental policies have intensified.
Lawmakers and environmental proponents argue that the government's actions contradict its global commitments to marine conservation, alleging that recent proposals for expanding exploitable marine species without adequate scientific support threaten the integrity of local ecosystems.
Consequently, calls for policy reforms and greater accountability have gained traction among affected communities and environmental organizations.
The event convened approximately 60 global leaders and has been marked by discussions emphasizing the need for stronger protections in international waters and increased conservation measures for marine environments.
Among the key achievements of the summit was the ratification of the High Seas Treaty by around 50 countries.
Formalized on Monday, this agreement aims to enhance protections for the high seas, which are defined as waters beyond 200 nautical miles (approximately 370 kilometers) from shore.
The treaty's implementation is contingent on the necessary ratification from 60 countries, following which it would take effect 120 days after the milestone is reached.
France had aspired to achieve this number during the summit, but the requisite ratifications were not secured.
Environmental advocates responded positively to the treaty's ratification, with Rebecca Hubbard of the High Seas Alliance describing it as an “incredible breakthrough.” However, she cautioned that momentum must be maintained as the treaty's finalization is anticipated by the end of the year, opening avenues to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas.
Leaders also voiced strong opposition to deep-sea mining at the summit.
French President Emmanuel Macron deemed the practice as detrimental, labeling it “madness” and warning against the overexploitation of ocean resources.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres referred to the current state of deep-sea mining as a potential new “Wild West.” Despite this strong rhetoric, the coalition advocating for a moratorium on deep-sea mining saw only slight growth, increasing from 32 to 37 countries among the 169 members of the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
A series of announcements from countries such as Colombia, Samoa, Portugal, and Greece highlighted the creation and enhancement of MPAs, which may collectively raise the global protected ocean area from 8.34% to more than 10% by the end of the summit.
However, the limited action by France, which only restricted bottom trawling in 4% of its own maritime territories, drew criticism from environmental NGOs.
Notably absent from the final summit declaration were explicit mentions of fossil fuels, despite the consensus among experts that they represent a primary driver of ocean degradation.
Critics, including Vanuatu’s Environment Minister Ralph Regenvanu, lamented the omission, stressing that climate change significantly impacts marine ecosystems.
Alongside these concerns, discussions surrounding the estimated $175 billion needed annually to meet Sustainable Ocean Development Goals by 2030 were overshadowed by the lack of concrete funding commitments.
In Costa Rica, scrutiny has arisen regarding the government’s environmental initiatives, particularly related to the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge.
Environmental lawyer Marco Levy filed a formal complaint against Environment and Energy Minister Franz Tattenbach, alleging corruption and favoritism related to the Puket real estate project, which conflicts with the refuge's protected status.
This site, important for its biodiversity, has a history of illegal logging, raising alarms over unauthorized developments within safeguarded areas.
As Costa Rica prepares for its role in the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference in 2025, criticisms related to its current domestic environmental policies have intensified.
Lawmakers and environmental proponents argue that the government's actions contradict its global commitments to marine conservation, alleging that recent proposals for expanding exploitable marine species without adequate scientific support threaten the integrity of local ecosystems.
Consequently, calls for policy reforms and greater accountability have gained traction among affected communities and environmental organizations.
