4 Issues to Watch at the UN Ocean Conference

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical priorities for the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) taking place in Nice, France, from June 9th-13th, 2025. The document emphasizes the need to scale up funding for Sustainable Development Goal 14, integrate ocean-based solutions into national climate strategies ahead of COP30, accelerate the ratification of the High Seas Treaty, and promote 100% sustainable ocean management through Sustainable Ocean Plans.

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, Life Below Water, is the most underfunded of all SDGs, receiving less than 0.01% of all sustainable development funding. This funding gap hinders progress in fisheries reform, marine conservation, and the blue economy, despite the fact that every $1 invested in the latter is projected to yield at least $5 in global benefits by 2050. A sustainable ocean economy could increase global employment by 51 million jobs by 2050, totaling 184 million people.
• Ocean-based climate solutions, such as sustainable shipping, offshore renewable energy, and the restoration of "blue carbon" ecosystems like seagrasses and mangroves, could provide up to 35% of the emissions reductions required by 2050 to maintain a global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F). However, these actions are largely missing from national climate commitments.
• The High Seas Treaty, adopted in 2023 to protect biodiversity in the two-thirds of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction, requires ratification by 60 countries to take effect; currently, fewer than 30 have ratified it. Ratification is viewed as essential for meeting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework target of protecting 30% of land and ocean by 2030 (30x30). The treaty remains open for signature until September 20, 2025.
• WRI advocates for 100% sustainable ocean management, which involves protecting 30% of the ocean and sustainably managing the remaining 70%, including the approximately 40% of the ocean that consists of national waters. Some nations, such as Indonesia, Fiji, and Norway, are currently developing or have developed Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs) to create a policy framework for holistic ocean use.

APA

Pickerell, T. (2025). 4 Issues to Watch at the UN Ocean Conference. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/insights/un-ocean-conference-key-issues

Chicago

Pickerell, Tom. 4 Issues to Watch at the UN Ocean Conference. World Resources Institute, 2025. https://www.wri.org/insights/un-ocean-conference-key-issues.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pickerell |first1=Tom |title=4 Issues to Watch at the UN Ocean Conference |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=3 June 2025 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/un-ocean-conference-key-issues |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pickerell2025issues, author = {Pickerell, Tom}, title = {{4 Issues to Watch at the UN Ocean Conference}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/un-ocean-conference-key-issues}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }