By Antonio Torres del Cerro
Paris (EFE).- The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), held in Nice, , from Jun. 25 to 29, made significant strides in addressing issues such as the protection of international waters. However, the absence of the United States under Donald Trump was a significant setback.
After five days of discussions, the co-organizers and Costa Rica welcomed the fact that an agreement on the protection of biodiversity in international waters (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, BBNJ) has been practically ratified.
This is provided the minimum number of 60 states is reached. The discussions involved 64 heads of state and government, 115 ministers and representatives from 175 states, as well as 28 heads of international organizations.
The agreement could see half of the world’s oceans cease to be “the Wild West” and be protected from underwater fishing or mining, protecting 30% of the oceans closer.
“This summit has strengthened multilateralism in response to the isolationist attitude of Donald Trump’s istration,” said Eléonore Caroit, the French MP of Dominican origin who was responsible for convincing parliamentary leaders from other countries to ratify the BBNJ in Nice.
At the end of the meeting, the French presidency said that China would ratify the agreement it approved at the UN in September 2023, however, no date was specified.
“It is clear that the BBNJ would not have succeeded without China. This demonstrates that we can form alliances with countries that do not share our worldview,” declared Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, special envoy of French President Emmanuel Macron for UNOC3.
He recalled that the Asian giant had sent its vice president to the summit, whereas the US had sent only two observers.
According to official sources in Washington, their participation would not have made sense, given that they did not share the global sustainability goals.
If this treaty is ratified, a summit will be held in 2026 to select the location that will oversee the implementation of the BBNJ. The two candidates are Valparaíso (Chile) and Brussels.
Another breakthrough was the declaration in favor of a global treaty to curb plastic production.
In Nice, at least 96 countries backed a text urging a global agreement to be reached in Geneva, Switzerland, in August, despite the reluctance of oil powers such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia.
Plastic pollution poses a significant menace to the preservation of marine ecosystems, with an estimated 100,000 birds and aquatic mammals dying from it each year. Furthermore, studies have linked plastic pollution to endocrine system problems, posing a threat to human health.
Another achievement attributed to Nice, albeit more modestly, is the moratorium on offshore mining activities. This occurred at a time when Trump approved a decree to exploit the seabed, including areas in international waters. The moratorium is ed by at least 37 countries.
Among its other initiatives and partnerships, UNOC3 can also claim the launch of the High Ambition Coalition during the summit, the first global coalition dedicated to reducing underwater noise pollution from shipping, as one of its successes. This coalition includes 35 countries, including all 27 EU member states.
Reduction of fossil fuels is on the agenda
At the first major climate meeting of the current Trump istration, COP26, the absence of a global pact to reduce fossil fuel emissions and combat illegal fishing and trawling was noted. The second COP meeting will be COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November.
Financial pledges were also lukewarm. Among public investments, the EU announced 1 billion euros for its ocean plan.
The French presidency made an unclear announcement about a fund of 10 billion euros per year from a global carbon tax on maritime transport, which is set to be approved by the of the International Maritime Organization in 2025.
Poivre d’Arvor suggested that some of these funds could the climate adaptation plans of the Pacific microstates, whose survival is under threat due to climate change.
At the conference in Nice, representatives of these islands spoke out against the slow provision of international loans and aid for the climate crisis.
Tuvalu’s Prime Minister, Feleti Teo, said it took eight years to receive 40 million euros to mitigate rising sea levels. EFE
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