Nice in view: UNO conference demands protection of the seas against exploitation!

Nice in view: UNO conference demands protection of the seas against exploitation!

The UN Ocean Conference, which takes place in Nice from June 9th to 13th, 2025, aims to make the protection of the world's oceans a decisive topic in the international agenda. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that this conference with similar importance as the Paris Climate Conference 2015. Around 8% of the world's oceans are currently under protection, and France is aiming to increase this proportion to over 10% by the end of the year in order to sustainably improve the health of the oceans. The oceans are not only central to the climate and air quality, but also essential for global nutritional security and stability of the climate.

scientists and environmentalists express massive concerns about the condition of the oceans, which is strongly endangered by overfishing, pollution and global warming. At the conference, the damage to Marine ecosystems is also discussed by human activities. In addition, the ocean has the task of absorbing over 90% of the additional heat and a quarter of all CO₂ emissions, which underlines the importance of effective sea protection.

demands for a moratorium for deep -sea mountain construction

More than 30 countries, including Germany, have called for a moratorium for deep -sea mountain construction. Such dismantling projects in international waters are regarded as a violation of international law, since the minerals on the sea floor are considered to be humanity. However, US President Donald Trump has recently signed a decree that enables the mine to be protected after valuable metals such as nickel and cobalt in the waters, which also makes international discussion about protecting the oceans. Mining groups are urging these resources, which could lead to massive pressure on the already over -claimed marine ecosystems.

The international community faces the challenge of bringing the rights and protection of the oceans into harmony with the economic interests of the states. UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the world's oceans are not allowed to deteriorate to the “wild west”. The conference in Nice is also preparing a negotiation round for a plastic agreement in August to combat the coating of the oceans.

further challenges and solutions

Federal Environment Minister Steffi Schneider emphasizes the need for close international cooperation to protect the seas. Germany is actively committed to protecting areas on the high seas and would like to reduce the threats from plastic waste. According to Schneider, the condition of the oceans is alarming. The average temperature of the oceans increases, the water becomes acidic and the living coral reefs have lost about half of their area in the past 150 years.

Expectations of the conference are high: Macron hopes for the ratification of the Hochsee Agreement by 60 states until the end of the year. Around 200 coastal cities have come together to react to the consequences of climate change and by 2050 more than a billion people could live in coastal regions that are less than ten meters above sea level.

The UN Ocean Conference thus represents an important international summit that takes place every four years. Representatives of around 130 states are present and it is expected that concrete steps are taken to ensure the future of the oceans and thus all of humanity.

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