This week, the shimmering Mediterranean city of Nice hosted the globe’s foremost gathering on ocean stewardship: the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), co‑hosted by France and Costa Rica, under the moto “Scaling up Ocean Action Based on Science and Innovation for the Implementation of Goal 14.” As the sun set on 13 June 2025, dozens of pledges, declarations, and political fanfare were in place. Yet beneath the glossy rhetoric lays a struggle—between aspiration and action, agreement and enforcement, hope and realism.

Bold Commitments, But Are They Enough?

At the heart of the conference was the long-anticipated High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement), adopted in March 2023. After a global diplomatic push, the treaty has now reached 51 ratifications—just 9 shy of the 60 needed for it to enter into force. Several countries that pledged ratification in Nice indicated formal parliamentary processes are already underway, with the treaty expected to be operational by late 2025.

FILE PHOTO: France’s President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks during the presentation of the European Ocean Pact during the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which gathers leaders, researchers and activists to discuss how to protect marine life, in Nice, France, June 9, 2025. Laurent Cipriani/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

This treaty would allow the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters—a critical step toward achieving the “30×30” goal: protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. As of now, about 13.7 percent of marine areas are under some form of protection, up from around 10 percent in 2022 (UNEP, 2025).

France, with strong backing from President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, renewed its call for a ban (moratorium) on deep-sea mining. The number of supportive countries has grown to 44, but influential states such as China, Russia, and Norway continue to oppose a binding halt. A final version of the International Seabed Authority’s (ISA) mining code is now postponed to 2026, following continued scientific and civil society pressure.

On the financial front, a €8.7 billion package announced last year is now partially deployed. The newly established UN Ocean Finance Facility, launched in early 2025, aims to streamline disbursement and attract private co-investment. Yet the annual $175 billion ocean funding gap remains largely unmet, and core initiatives—especially in the Global South—face delays due to underfunding.

The conference also saw affirmation of the Nice Call for Action, comprising 74 voluntary commitments across plastic reduction, marine science, coastal ecosystem protection (mangroves, seagrasses), and fisheries subsidy reform. These initiatives, according to UNEP estimates, could bring the global MPA total to just under 15 percent by early 2026 if fully implemented.

UNOC 3 also featured science-focused side events, notably the One Ocean Science Congress, which highlighted emerging innovations in ocean carbon removal, AI-led marine monitoring, and climate-adaptive coastal infrastructure.

Demonstrators carry a banner as members of various environmental organisations gather for a march on beaches of Nice, ahead of a UN conference on marine preservation, in Nice, France, June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Manon Cruz

UNOC 3: Where Words Outpace Action

Despite the progress, UNOC 3 spotlighted enduring challenges. The High Seas Treaty is still not in force. Although 59 countries have ratified, the treaty remains technically dormant until the 60th is finalized—a step expected later this year. Furthermore, Financing gap remains massive. Only about €2.9 billion of the five-year €8.7 billion pledge has been mobilized. Many Global South countries’ delegations emphasized that fragmented disbursement and complex access rules are limiting impact. Moreover, Deep-sea mining ban lacks teeth. With no binding agreement, and the ISA mining code delayed, exploratory licenses remain valid. Some stakeholders warn of a “race to exploit” if a global ban isn’t secured before 2026, especially with Trump signing executive order allowing DSM in the US. As far as plastic pollution is concerned, while negotiations toward a global plastics treaty have advanced (with an anticipated draft by early 2026), current commitments under the Nice Call would reduce marine plastic leakage by only 8–9 percent—still far from the 80+ percent cut needed by 2040.

Finally, still no enforcement mechanism in place. As with past conferences, the voluntary nature of commitments means no country faces penalties for noncompliance.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press briefing at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which gathers leaders, researchers and activists to discuss how to protect marine life, at the Centre des Expositions conference centre in Nice, France, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Manon Cruz

Lost Opportunities or Postponed Battles?

Several structural reforms were widely discussed but did not emerge in binding form: a plastics treaty with hard limits on production, extended producer responsibility, and enforcement mechanisms; a dedicated Blue Finance Roadmap for scaling up private-public mechanisms; mandates for effective small-states, Indigenous, and youth representation in all governance frameworks, modeled on inclusive processes, used for example in SDG 16+.

The opportunity was there. But geopolitics, financial conservatism, and institutional caution left these concepts largely unsatisfied.

Still, A Platform Worth Building On

That being said, there were achievements in the context of UNOC 3. Several countries—including Colombia, Portugal, Palau, and Kenya—announced new or expanded MPAs, with Colombia achieving full national compliance with the 30×30 target. Philanthropic and multilateral donors pledged over $1 billion in new blue capital, focused on coral resilience, plastic innovation, and ocean literacy. Youth representatives held one of the best-attended plenaries, and ocean science was center stage across multiple working groups.

Importantly, the conference underlined the fact that ocean health is interlinked with climate, biodiversity, and human livelihoods. Secretary-General Guterres’ urgent call to shift from “plunder to protection”, and Macron’s stark warning that “the Earth is burning, and the ocean is boiling,” reinforced the stakes and maybe pointed out that ambitious ocean policy is not a luxury but a necessity and a responsibility.

This op-ed is part of To BHMA International Edition’s NextGen Corner, a platform for fresh voices on the defining issues of our time.

*Marios Arampatzis, is a bachelor’s student in International & European studies at Panteion University, with a nearly 4 years of experience in Youth-led and environmental organisations, such as UNICEF’s Youth Advisory Board and ELIAMEP’s EU Youth Hub, and with attendance in International conferences such as COP29 and 9th Our Ocean Conference.