For the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3). Their mission was both urgent and ambitious: to confront the escalating threats to the world’s oceans and chart a path toward sustainable stewardship.

What Was Covered?

Over five days, delegates tackled the ocean’s most pressing crises. Overfishing dominated discussions, with calls to curb harmful subsidies and strengthen international monitoring. Pollution, especially plastics, was another focus, as countries debated measures to rein in single-use products and expand producer responsibility. And underlying every conversation was the mounting pressure of climate change — coral bleaching, acidification, and marine heatwaves underscored the ocean’s central role in Earth’s life support system.

Key Outcomes

Several concrete promises emerged from Nice. Nations pledged to accelerate the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty, aiming to safeguard 30% of international waters by 2030. Funding was announced for large-scale restoration of mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs — ecosystems essential for carbon storage and coastal defense. Delegates also reaffirmed the global ambition to finalize a plastics treaty by 2027, while financial institutions launched “blue bonds” to funnel billions into conservation and sustainable fisheries.

These outcomes weren’t just policy notes buried in diplomatic language. They signaled a shift toward recognizing the ocean as a cornerstone of both climate and biodiversity action. For the first time, discussions of economic growth, equity, and environmental survival were interwoven with the fate of marine ecosystems. In practical terms, that means future trade negotiations, climate targets, and even local development projects may soon be judged by how well they account for the health of the seas.