Ocean conference in Nice: That's why the world is fighting for our seas!

Ocean conference in Nice: That's why the world is fighting for our seas!

Nizza, Frankreich - From June 9th to 13th, 2025, the UN Ocean Conference takes place in Nice, in which representatives from politics, science, business and society take part from around 70 countries. The central goal of this conference is to accelerate the protection of the sea and to promote its sustainable use. Maarten Boersma, an experienced marine researcher, has headed the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven since May 2025 and deals intensively with the effects of human interventions on the oceans. He warns in particular of the dangers of intentions, such as fishing and the construction of oil platforms, as well as the unwanted interventions, which include the warming and acidification of the sea. These developments could have serious effects on the ecosystems of the oceans, which among other things play a crucial role in food production and the regulation of the climate.

The oceans are not only sources for food from fishing and aquaculture, but also important producers of oxygen through micro algae. They also act as important carbon sinks that contribute to combating the climate crisis. Boersma emphasizes that future measures are indispensable to avoid plastic pollution and to improve recycling in order to protect the health of the sea. A central point of the current discussion is also deep -sea mountain construction. According to Tagesschau , the EU speaks against this practice and calls for a moratorium, since the potential damage in the deep sea is simply unknown.

deep -sea mountain construction and its effects

On the subject of deep -sea mountain construction, a new report by the WWF shows that this form of raw material mining could have significant and incalculable effects on the sensitive ecosystem of the deep sea. The deep sea houses a high biodiversity, and modern research continues to discover new species. Over 5,000 previously unknown species have been described in the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific in recent years. This unique biodiversity could be endangered by the massive reduction of raw materials, which was also brought up by numerous states at the ISA meeting in spring 2023. These states demanded that no permits for deep -sea mining proposals should be granted without a binding rules to protect the marine environment.

Awareness of the risks associated with deep -sea mountain construction grows. More and more potential buyers of raw materials are positioning themselves against the destruction of the sea environment. While some countries and companies are still in the race for mineral resources, the existing challenges that arise from human interventions in the marine ecosystems must be addressed. The discussion about marine protection areas in both national and international waters shows that there are bright spots, even if the challenges remain great.

The condition of the sea and outlook

The condition of the North and Baltic Sea shows mixed results. While the North Sea has made progress in the past 40 to 50 years -has fewer nutrients and clearer water -the Baltic Sea remains faced with problems with oxygen and pollutant entries. In addition, the ammunition problem in the Baltic Sea and in the Mediterranean is a serious challenge. Boersma and his colleagues give high hopes for this conference. They strive for binding agreements that also take into account the nature of the ground in addition to the protection of the seas. Your work demands a closer connection between scientific knowledge and political decisions to bring about the necessary changes.