The UN Ocean Conference arrives on the Côte d’Azur. Can it deliver more than declarations?

It is not often that Nice finds itself at the centre of geopolitics. Yet this June, France’s fifth-largest city will host a summit with implications that reach far beyond the Mediterranean. The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, will draw world leaders, scientists and negotiators to forge a collective response to what may be the most urgent and least governed part of the global commons: the ocean.

For five days, from 9 to 13 June, the newly built pavilion in the Port area, named Nicea, will serve as headquarters for global marine diplomacy. But the real weight of the conference lies not in the location, or even in the presence of high-level officials. It lies in whether Nice becomes the place where Sustainable Development Goal 14, “life below water”, finally begins to move from aspiration to implementation.

Beyond Declarations, the Push for Action

The timing carries particular urgency. This conference marks the halfway point of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and arrives amid growing recognition that previous conservation efforts have fallen short of targets.

The first two UN Ocean Conferences laid the groundwork with broad political declarations and thousands of voluntary commitments. Yet ocean degradation has continued, often accelerating:

This time, the hosts are promising more rigour. At the heart of UNOC3 will be the adoption of the Nice Ocean Action Plan, a concise document intended to prioritise science-based targets, unlock new sources of ocean finance, and provide mechanisms for monitoring follow-through.

The Power Brokers: France and Costa Rica

The host country’s maritime credentials are impressive yet often overlooked due to the relatively small size of continental France. Yet, the mainland alone boasts a coastline of approximately 3,427 kilometres (2,130 miles), bordering on the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel. But the vast coastlines surrounding most of the French Overseas Territories bring the country’s combined Exclusive Economic Zone up to nearly 11 million square kilometers, positioning it in second place in the ranking of major maritime nations globally and giving it extensive experience managing diverse coastal environments. Its involvement in marine conservation has grown steadily over the past two decades, from spearheading the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People to expanding its network of Marine Protected Areas.

Costa Rica, meanwhile, has earned international credibility as a climate and biodiversity leader. In marine terms, it played a key role in expanding the Cocos Island National Park and its inclusion in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. While Costa Rica emphasises the importance of a cohesive terrestrial and oceanic preservation policy, considering both an inseparable and indivisible unit, it has also led the charge to add ocean health as a standalone priority within the Sustainable Development Goals.

Their partnership at UNOC3 reflects a diplomatic strategy of pairing one of the world’s most developed economies with a middle-income country from the global South, aiming to bring different constituencies to the table.

Ten Panels, One Ocean

The conference’s comprehensive approach is reflected in its ten Ocean Action Panels, each addressing critical dimensions of marine sustainability. These panels range from ecosystem conservation and scientific cooperation to financing mechanisms and international legal frameworks.

Key discussions will tackle:

• Marine pollution from land-based activities, particularly significant in the Mediterranean context where plastic waste threatens marine ecosystems
• Sustainable fisheries management with particular attention to small-scale fishers
• Leveraging connections between ocean health, climate stability and biodiversity preservation
• Integrated approaches recognising how ocean health connects to poverty eradication, food security and sustainable transport systems

This structure marks a shift from previous conferences, which often treated ocean issues in silos.

The Infrastructure and Regional Context

Nice has made significant local investment to support the conference. The newly built Pavilion in the Port area will serve as the main venue. Although not unanimously favoured by locals and local businesses as it boldly blocks the formerly unobstructed view of the Mediterranean Sea and complicates circulation and parking in an area that is already severely lacking in easy access, City Hall positioned it as both a logistical necessity and a legacy project, with plans for materials to be repurposed after the conference concludes.

Photo © RIVIERA BUZZ

Mayor Christian Estrosi has been outspoken in affirming Nice’s commitment to hosting this crucial environmental summit. When the city was named as host, he pledged commitment to marine protection in the Mediterranean and to continue taking steps to reduce pollution and improve coastal resilience. “We have made marine protection a cornerstone of our environmental policy.”

The city is using the spotlight to showcase its own initiatives to protect its coastline and marine biodiversity, from coastal erosion management to preservation of Posidonia seagrass meadows. These efforts align with broader regional frameworks, such as the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals, the first international protected area for cetaceans in Europe, established by France, Italy and Monaco.

Posidonia oceanica, Portofino – see credits below

Neighbouring Monaco’s Ocean Leadership

Just 20 kilometres from Nice, Monaco provides valuable regional context for the conference’s marine focus. The Principality, under Prince Albert II’s leadership, has established itself as a Mediterranean leader in ocean conservation. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, established in 2006, has funded numerous projects focusing on ocean acidification, marine protected areas and threatened marine species.

Monaco also hosts the headquarters of the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM), which coordinates research across 23 member states bordering the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and the Monaco Blue Initiative, an annual forum bringing together ocean experts and policymakers to develop solutions for sustainable ocean management.

Prince Albert II has been a consistent advocate for marine protection, stating at the 2022 UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon: “The ocean is our common good, our shared responsibility. We must enhance our action in favour of its protection.” His longstanding commitment complements the work being undertaken at UNOC3 in neighbouring Nice through numerous concurrent conferences and initiatives.

Sanctuaire Pelagos – see credits below

Tortue caouanne dans le bassin de réhabilitation – © M. Dagnino – Institut océanographique

Financing the Blue Future

This regional leadership provides important context as delegates turn to the conference’s most challenging issue: financing. The conference’s most closely watched discussions will tackle a stark funding reality: less than two per cent of all climate finance currently reaches ocean-related projects, despite the ocean covering over 70 per cent of the planet and absorbing nearly a third of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions.

This financing gap has repeatedly undermined previous ocean commitments. The critical Panel Three aims to change that dynamic by mobilising concrete financial mechanisms:

• Global development banks are expected to announce new “blue bonds” (environmental bonds specifically for ocean projects) and concessional loan programmes, and

• Sustainable ocean-based economies (Panel Six) will explore how coastal nations can generate revenue whilst protecting marine ecosystems

The measure of success is whether or not clear pathways can be established for the $175 billion annually needed for ocean conservation by 2030 (according to UN estimates).

The shift towards a “blue economy” recognises that environmental protection and economic development need not be mutually exclusive. Fishing communities, tourism operators and coastal industries all depend on healthy oceans.

While the Nice summit alone cannot resolve these issues, the conference could significantly influence both timeline and political momentum. France has signalled support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, whilst Costa Rica has proposed stronger ocean–climate linkages in climate finance frameworks. These positions could gain broader backing if the conference generates sufficient political will.

Events on the Fringe

As delegates gather to address the ocean’s future, Nice’s cultural scene offers multiple complementary perspectives on humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Out of many artistic, informative, and educational events, here just our two personal picks:

A stone’s throw from the main venue at the Port, the Espace culturel départemental Lympia features Fragile Ocean, Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s underwater photography exhibition running from 24 May to 6 July 2025. Nicknamed “The Green Prince,” Prince Hussain has dedicated over 20 years to marine conservation, blending artistry with environmental advocacy. His large-format photographs, captured across tropical waters from the Bahamas to the Galápagos, reveal intimate encounters with marine life whilst documenting the stark realities of plastic pollution and climate impacts. The outdoor exhibition on Lympia’s terrace creates a poignant visual dialogue with the high-stakes diplomatic negotiations unfolding just metres away at the conference venue.

Marsa Alam, Égypte, décembre 2017 — © Hussain Aga Khan, courtesy Ville de Nice

The Musée d’Art Naïf Anatole-Jakovsky was one of the city’s cultural venues to respond early with a thematic exhibition titled Sirènes et merveilles, peuples des mers. Running throughout the summer, the show includes a collaborative installation, Labyrinthe liquide, by Pascal Héranval, as well as previously unpublished illustrations by Bernard Vercruyre for Anatole Jakovsky’s 1979 tale La petite sirène. Although not explicitly tied to the UN conference, the exhibition forms part of a broader civic backdrop that highlights the symbolic and imaginative dimensions of the sea, and it playfully educates the younger generations on the issues at stake.

Looking Ahead

The goals are clearly defined: signed funding commitments, binding timelines for marine protected areas, and enforcement mechanisms for illegal fishing. But whether the conference can deliver this time remains to be seen. The outcomes will likely shape marine conservation policy for years to come.

UNOC3 is not a treaty negotiation. It cannot bind states to action. However, it can set the tone for the coming decade by exposing gaps, elevating priorities and, crucially, unlocking funding and regulation at national and regional levels. Previous ocean conferences generated thousands of voluntary commitments. This one must deliver measurable progress on existing pledges whilst establishing new ones with built-in accountability.

As preparations intensify, the ambitious goals set forth in the conference materials underscore what is at stake: nothing less than the future of our blue planet and the billions who depend on it.

The real question in Nice will be: who is willing to act on that principle, and how will they be held to account?

Photo © RIVIERA BUZZ

Lead image © RIVIERA BUZZ

Photo of Posidonia oceanica, diving in Portofino, Italy by Yoruno – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link;

Photo of Pelagos Sanctuary image by GrandEscogriffe – File:Mediterranean Sea location map.svg + File:Santuario dei cetacei.png + Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

All other photos as credited