Macron pushing for global action at the shoreline summit in Nice
French President Macron calls for global commitment in the lead-up to the United Nations ocean meeting in Nice. - International leader Macron advocates for global response in anticipation of United Nations ocean summit in Nice.
Emmanuel Macron, France's President, voiced his concerns about the sidelined status of ocean conservation in the public debate, as the world battles climate change. He criticized the significant funding cuts for scientific research, particularly in the USA, where an official delegation won't attend the upcoming UN Ocean Conference.
Sunday afternoon, Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) participated in the nautical parade to launch the Ocean Summit. Emphasizing the importance of marine research, he stated, "What we know, we can protect." Schneider also engaged in discussions with Cabo Verde's President, José Maria Neves, about training West African marine protectors with German assistance on the island. The professionals are planned to designate high-seas protected regions when the ratified UN treaty is enforced.
The UN Ocean Conference, slated for June 9-13, 2025, in Nice, France, gathers around 130 states and 40 international organizations. This summit, the third of its kind, serves as the most significant international platform for marine protection. France, alongside Costa Rica, co-hosts the event, with ambitions to secure high-sea protected regions, reduce plastic waste, and impose a halt on deep-sea mining.
This high-profile event, dubbed as the "Accelerate Action and Mobilize All Actors for Ocean Conservation and Sustainable Use," targets urgent action for marine resource conservation and sustainable development, building upon prior conferences and existing agreements to forge successful partnerships. The conference covers critical marine issues like biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change's impact on marine ecosystems, pushing nations to ratify the High Seas Treaty for global marine biodiversity protection.
Leaders from approximately 50 countries, including Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, gathered for an evening opener dinner. The conference aims to boost international cooperation, expand action on marine protection, and progress toward implementing Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water).
While details about Germany's objectives at the conference are scarce, the country often supports international environmental initiatives and typically aligns its goals with broader European and global strategies for marine conservation and sustainable development.
- The Commission, involved in the preparation of the draft directive on the protection of the marine environment, has also emphasized the need for scientific knowledge in addressing climate-change and preserving the environment, as it is crucial in understanding the impact of these issues on the marine environment.
- In the midst of political discussions about marine protection, environmental-science plays a vital role in informing decisions and strategies, as the findings from this field help shape the policies aimed at protecting marine ecosystems and mitigating the effects of climate change.
- General news outlets have been reporting on the upcoming UN Ocean Conference, slated for 2025 in Nice, France, as it brings together nations to discuss and act upon urgent issues such as biodiversity loss, plastic waste, deep-sea mining, and the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems – matters that require immediate attention and global cooperation for successful conservation and sustainable use of the ocean.
