Now and Then: Macron Stirs the Tide Ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice
International leader Macron calls for global cooperation before the UN ocean conference in the city of Nice. - International leader Macron urges global response in preparation for ocean-centric conference in Nice, scheduled at the United Nations.
France's President, Emmanuel Macron, takes aim at the waning attention paid to ocean conservation in the face of climate change. He lambasts the US for slashing funds for scientific research and neglecting its presence at the forthcoming 2025 UN Ocean Conference.
Chiming in, German Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) found himself center stage at the launch of the Malizia Explorer research vessel, helmed by extreme sailor Boris Herrmann. "Marine research is the cornerstone of effective ocean conservation, as without knowledge, we cannot effectively protect the seas," Schneider's representative quoted him stating.
Discussions between Schneider and the President of Cabo Verde, José Maria Neves, centered around preparing West African marine protectors for high-sea protected area designation. These trained scientists would be acting under German support in the island nation, awaiting ratification of a relevant UN treaty.
As the focal point of the French Riviera city of Nice beckons, around 50 heads of state and government—including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres—will gather for a historic dinner. From June 9-13, 2025, representatives of approximately 130 countries and 40 international organizations will convene for the third UN Ocean Conference—a hallmark international summit for marine protection.
Germany plans to leverage the conference to advocate for the creation of high-sea protected areas, curtail plastic waste in the oceans, and institute a precautionary halt on deep-sea mining. The 2025 UN Ocean Conference, dedicated to accelerating global action and engaging all players in conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, will put the focus squarely on SDG 14 —a globally adopted goal intended for the preservation and sustainable development of the oceans, seashores, and marine life.
- Emmanuel Macron
- Nice
- UN
- Carsten Schneider
- Sunday (future date)
- Marine protection
- USA (future implications)
- SPD
- Boris Herrmann
Looking Back at the Previous Conference
In the past, the UN Ocean Conferences have addressed myriad challenges faced by our oceans, tackling issues like ocean acidification, marine pollution, and declining biodiversity. The third conference, set for 2025, will follow in the footsteps of its predecessors, aiming to set forth ambitious global goals for ocean conservation and sustainable use.
In the meantime, efforts to slow climate change and protect our seas must not wane, as the stakes could not be higher for our planet's survival. It's time to turn the tide, embrace our shared responsibility, and create a brighter future for our oceans.
Brief Overview of the 2025 Conference
Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica from June 9-13, 2025, the 2025 UN Ocean Conference focuses on accelerating action and engaging all actors to conserve and sustainably use the oceans. The primary objective is to support SDG 14, aiming to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seashores, and marine resources for sustainable development. The conference seeks to enhance the implementation of SDG 14, establish a framework for ocean governance, emphasize ocean resilience to climate change, promote a sustainable blue economy, and address plastic waste reduction, among other objectives.
- The Commission, in preparation for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, may consider the role of environmental-science, including the impact of climate-change, in the draft directive on the protection of the marine environment.
- Under the backdrop of Nice, tycoons of general-news such as Emmanuel Macron and Carsten Schneider, from SPD, will engage in discussions on marine protection, with Macron potentially addressing the future implications for the USA and the role of politics in ocean conservation events.
- On Sunday (the future date of the conference), scientists under German support in Cabo Verde, including those with backgrounds in science and environmental-science, will be geared to act as marine protectors, focusing on high-sea protected area designation in line with UN guidelines.
