United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) 2025: BBNJ Treaty and Key Achievements

Context: The 3rd edition of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) 2025 was held in Nice, France.

About United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC)

• United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) is a global platform to accelerate action for ocean protection and the sustainable use of marine resources.
• Focuses on establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters, reducing overfishing, preventing deep-sea mining, and advancing SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
• The third edition was recently held in France.

About BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) Treaty

• BBNJ Treaty is also known as the High Seas Treaty.
• Aims to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (the high seas).
• Addresses four main areas:
  • Marine Protected Areas
  • Environmental Impact Assessments
  • Marine Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing
  • Capacity-building and technology transfer
• Needs 60 ratifications to become legally binding; 56 countries have ratified so far (India and the U.S. yet to ratify).

Key Achievements of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in France

• 56 out of 60 ratifications secured for the BBNJ Treaty.
• European Commission: €1 billion for ocean conservation, science, and sustainable fishing.
• French Polynesia: Announced the world’s largest MPA (5 million sq. km).
• New Zealand: $52 million for ocean governance in the Pacific Islands.
• Germany: €100 million for clearing wartime munitions in the Baltic and North Seas.
• Panama & Canada-led Coalition: Launched the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean to address ocean noise pollution.
• Italy: €6.5 million to boost marine surveillance.
• Canada: $9 million to build climate resilience in small island and coastal nations
• Spain: Announced five new MPAs to protect 25% of its marine areas.
• UN Agencies: Launched One Ocean Finance to unlock funding for the blue economy.

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