3rd UN Ocean Conference

• 17 Jun 2025

For Prelims: UN Ocean Conference, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Oil Spills, Coral Bleaching, Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, Convention on Biological Diversity, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Coral Reefs, Dead Zones, Vadhavan Port, Mangrove, Ocean Currents, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Microbeads, Paris Agreement,  Seagrasses. 

For Mains: Key outcomes of the third UN Ocean Conference, challenges being faced by oceans and needs to safeguard them, Actions needed to promote ocean sustainability. 

Source: DTE 

Why in News? 

The 2025 UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), held in Nice, France, adopted the declaration “Our Ocean, Our Future: United for Urgent Action”, reinforcing global commitments to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 14 (Life Below Water).  

• Indigenous leaders called for a binding plastics treaty ensuring justice for vulnerable communities, with 95 countries supporting regulation of plastics from production to disposal. 
• The declaration aims to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution that threatens the world’s oceans. 

Triple Planetary Crisis 

• The Triple Planetary Crisis refers to the three interconnected global environmental threats i.e., climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution & waste. 
  • Climate change is driven by greenhouse gas emissions, causing global warming, extreme weather, rising seas, and threats to food security and ecosystems. 
  • Biodiversity loss results from deforestation, pollution, habitat destruction, and overexploitation, leading to mass species extinction and weakened ecosystems. 
  • Pollution and waste — from plastics, chemicals, and air/water contamination — harm human health, marine life, and ecosystems, and contribute to climate and biodiversity crises. 
• These crises are deeply linked — climate change accelerates species loss, pollution worsens climate impacts, and degraded ecosystems reduce carbon absorption — requiring urgent, integrated global action. 

What is the United Nations Ocean Conference? 

• About: UNOC is a high-level global summit convened by the UN to accelerate action toward SDG 14 (Life Below Water), which aims to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas, and marine resources. 
• Theme: Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.     
• Purpose: It aims to address critical ocean challenges like climate change (ocean warming, acidification, sea-level rise), marine pollution (plastics, oil spills, chemical waste), overfishing and IUU (Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated) fishing, and biodiversity loss (coral bleaching, habitat destruction). 
  • The objectives of UNOC3 was to establish the "Nice Ocean Agreements" as an international pact aligned with the UN’s 2015 SDGs, and to advance the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) by securing ratification from 60 countries to regulate the high seas. 
• Major Outcomes in Past:  
  • 2017 (New York): "Call for Action" declaration; focus on marine pollution and overfishing. 
  • 2022 (Lisbon): Renewed pledges for 30% marine protection by 2030 (30x30 target). 

What are the Key Outcomes of the Third UN Ocean Conference? 

• Strengthening Global Ocean Governance: The declaration urged the full implementation of key agreements, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). 
• Addressing Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: The declaration called for enhanced global action to minimize climate change impacts, including ocean acidification, and stressed the need to adapt to unavoidable climate effects while protecting marine ecosystems. 
  • The conference expressed concern over plastic pollution and its environmental harm, while reaffirming the commitment to prevent and reduce marine pollution of all kinds. 
• Sustainable Ocean-Based Economies: The declaration recognized the economic potential of sustainable ocean activities, particularly for small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs), and highlighted tools like sustainable ocean plans for the effective management of ocean resources. 
• Indigenous Knowledge, and Ocean Mapping: The declaration emphasized that ocean action should be guided by scientific research, traditional knowledge, and the expertise of Indigenous Peoples.  
  • It also highlighted the importance of national ocean accounting and mapping marine ecosystems to support better policy making. 

Key Ocean Conservation Initiatives Announced at UNOC3  

• European Commission: Announced a 1 billion Euro investment to promote ocean conservation, advance marine science, and support sustainable fishing practices. 
• French Polynesia: Pledged to create the world’s largest marine protected area — covering its entire exclusive economic zone (5 million sq km) to safeguard marine biodiversity. 
• Spain: Announced the creation of five new marine protected areas, enhancing its network of safeguarded marine zones. 
• Indonesia & World Bank: Introduced a ‘Coral Bond’ — an innovative financial tool to fund reef conservation and restoration efforts in Indonesia. 
• High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean: A 37-country coalition led by Panama and Canada, focused on tackling underwater noise pollution to protect marine life. 

How the Triple Planetary Crisis is Harming Oceans and Marine Ecosystems? 

• Climate Change Impacts: Oceans absorb 90% of excess heat from global warming, causing thermal expansion, increased salinity, and disruption of marine ecosystems.  
  • They also absorb 23% of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, making oceans 30% more acidic since pre-industrial times and harming shell-forming organisms and coral reefs.  
  • Warmer waters hold less oxygen, creating dead zones, while melting polar ice and glacier calving are rising sea levels, threatening coastal cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. 
• Coral Reef Destruction: Rising temperatures trigger coral bleaching, as corals expel symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae), turning white and often leading to mass die-offs.  
  • The 4^th Global Mass Bleaching Event (2023–2025) affected 84% of the world’s coral reefs across 82 countries, causing severe damage to marine biodiversity hotspots. 
• Overexploitation of Marine Resources: Overfishing has caused significant decline in key species e.g., a 75% drop in oil sardine catch along the Kerala coast in 2021, while projects like Vadhavan Port face criticism for displacing fishing communities and harming the marine ecosystem.  
  • Bottom trawling and plans to mine the ocean floor for metals threaten to destroy coral, sponge habitats, and undiscovered species, creating underwater dust clouds that could suffocate marine life over vast areas. 
• Plastic & Chemical Pollution: Millions of tons of plastic enter oceans each year, causing harm to marine life through ingestion and entanglement.  
  • Oil spills, ship accidents, and industrial runoff introduce toxic chemicals, as seen in the recent sinking of a Liberian-flagged vessel near the Kochi coast, threatening the region’s rich biodiversity and nearby communities, prompting the Kerala government to declare it a state disaster. 
• Habitat Destruction: Mangrove forests, vital coastal nurseries for fish, are being cleared for shrimp farms and resorts, while coastal development builds over turtle nesting beaches for hotels.   

What is the Need of Safeguarding Oceans? 

• Ecological & Biodiversity Significance: Phytoplankton, producing over 50% of Earth’s oxygen, and plankton form the foundation of marine food webs that sustain fish, marine mammals, and seabirds.  
  • Oceans, the largest ecosystem, support 94% of all life and nearly a million known species, with coral reefs and mangroves serving as vital biodiversity hotspots. E.g., Ocean currents create fertile fishing grounds (e.g., Newfoundland’s Grand Banks) by bringing nutrient-rich waters to the surface. 
• Climate Regulation: Oceans regulate global temperatures and play a key role in climate balance by absorbing and redistributing heat through currents like the Gulf Stream. 
  • They drive the hydrological cycle, influencing rainfall, monsoons, weather systems, and ensuring freshwater availability. Oceans also act as the world’s largest carbon sink, absorbing vast amounts of CO₂ to help mitigate climate change. 
• Economic & Livelihood Support: Over 3 billion people rely on seafood as a primary protein source, with fisheries and aquaculture supporting millions of jobs, while continental shelves hold vast reserves of oil and natural gas (e.g., Gulf of Mexico, Persian Gulf, Bombay High).  
  • Oceans are vital to the global economy, enabling 90% of trade through shipping routes and supporting multi-billion-dollar coastal tourism in regions like the Caribbean and Mediterranean. 
• Scientific & Medicinal Value: Marine organisms have contributed to medical breakthroughs, including anticancer compounds from coral and algae.  
  • Deep-sea exploration enhances understanding of Earth’s geology, climate history, and the potential for new resources. 

What Actions are Needed to Promote Ocean Sustainability? 

• For Governments & Policymakers:  
  • Expand Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Expand MPAs to protect 30% of oceans by 2030 (30x30 target), as seen in the Galápagos Marine Reserve, where industrial fishing is banned to let wildlife thrive. 
  • Reduce Plastic Pollution: Finalize the draft Global Plastic Treaty to phase out single-use plastics, support ban on microbeads and non-recyclable plastics to stop plastic leakage into oceans.  
  • Fight Climate Change: Meet Paris Agreement goals to cut CO₂ emissions and promote blue carbon ecosystems like mangroves and seagrasses to limit ocean acidification. 
• For Businesses & Industries: 
  • Sustainable Fishing: Use selective fishing gear (e.g., turtle-safe nets), avoid overfished species like bluefin tuna and shark, and promote plant-based seafood alternatives (e.g., algae-based fish). 
  • Green Shipping & Tourism: Switch to low-sulfur fuels and electric port systems, along with adopting coral-safe sunscreen policies (e.g., banning oxybenzone). 
  • Circular Economy: Redesign packaging with innovations like edible seaweed wrappers and recycling fishing nets into clothing. 
• For Individuals: Choose sustainable seafood (e.g., Marine Stewardship Council labels), ditch single-use plastics (carry reusable bottles, bags, utensils), and join beach cleanups to stop trash from entering the ocean. 
• Indigenous & Local Knowledge: Learn from coastal communities by adopting traditional fishing methods like Palau’s bul system and Hawaii’s kapu system that protect fish stocks.  

Conclusion 

The 2025 UN Ocean Conference reinforced global commitment to protect oceans from climate change, pollution, and overexploitation. While policies like the BBNJ Agreement and 30x30 target offer hope, urgent, inclusive, and science-based action—from ending plastics to empowering Indigenous stewardship—is vital to safeguard marine ecosystems, ensuring biodiversity, climate stability, and livelihoods for present and future generations. 

Drishti Mains Question:

What are the major threats facing the world’s oceans today? Suggest measures to ensure ocean sustainability.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ) 

Mains

Q. What is oil pollution? What are its impacts on the marine ecosystem? In what way is oil pollution particularly harmful for a country like India? (2023)

Q. What are the consequences of spreading ‘Dead Zones’ on marine ecosystems? (2018).