Nice, Jun 14: The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference concluded with more than 170 countries adopting an

inter-governmentally agreed declaration committing to urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the world's

oceans. The political declaration titled ‘Our ocean, Our future: United for urgent action’ calls for concrete steps to expand

marine protected areas, decarbonise maritime transport, combat marine pollution, and mobilise finance for vulnerable coastal and island nations, among others. The declaration -- together with bold voluntary commitments by states and other entities -- constitutes the Nice

Ocean Action Plan, successfully concluding the five-day conference with a boost to environmental multilateralism. “Pledges made this week must be rigorously implemented, tracked, and scaled,” said United Nations

Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua, who served as the conference

Secretary-General. “The momentum we have generated must carry us forward to COP30, global and regional ocean forums, and

national decision-making, and translate into decisive national action.” Voluntary commitments made during the conference include: The European Commission, as part of its Ocean Pact,

announced an investment of 1 billion EUR to support ocean conservation, science and sustainable fishing. French Polynesia pledged to create the world’s largest marine protected area to safeguard its seas, covering its

entire exclusive economic zone, approximately 5 million square km (1.93 million square miles). New Zealand committed over $52 million towards supporting enhanced ocean governance, management and

science in the Pacific Islands region. Germany launched a 100 million EUR immediate action programme for the recovery and clearance of legacy

munitions in the German Baltic and North Seas -- the first of its kind. Indonesia, the World Bank and other partners launched a Coral Bond, a groundbreaking financial instrument

designed to mobilise private capital to conserve coral reef ecosystems within marine protected areas in Indonesia. Thirty-seven countries, led by Panama and Canada, launched the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean -- the

first high-level political initiative to tackle ocean noise pollution on a global scale. Italy committed 6.5 million EUR to strengthen surveillance by the Coast Guard in marine protected areas and on oil

platforms, including through a satellite surveillance system capable of detecting potential oil spills in real time. Canada contributed 9 million US dollars to the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance to help Small Island

Developing States and coastal developing countries increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change

through nature-based solutions. Spain committed to creating five new marine protected areas that would allow protection of 25 per cent of its marine

territory. A collective of United Nations agencies and global partners launched a co-design process for One Ocean

Finance -- a bold new effort to unlock billions in new financing from ocean-dependent industries and blue economy

sectors. A United Nations Ocean Conference report, listing the voluntary commitments in an annex, will be published after

the summit. In a big step towards entry into force of the agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction

(BBNJ Agreement), 19 more states ratified the agreement in the margins of the conference, and 20 more signed it,

bringing the total number of signatures to 136, and ratifications to 50 states plus the European Union. Ten more ratifications are needed for the agreement to enter into force. The BBNJ Agreement, adopted in June 2023, is a crucial legal instrument to protect marine life and ecosystems in

the two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond any country’s jurisdiction. From June 9 to 13, as many as 55 heads of state and government, along with 15,000 participants from civil society,

business, and science, participated in the UN Ocean Conference co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, including

more than 450 side events, to accelerate action and mobilise all actors to conserve and sustainably use the world's

oceans. Ten ocean action panels produced forward-looking recommendations to guide implementation across key themes --

from marine pollution and nature-based solutions to the role of women, youth, and indigenous peoples in ocean

governance. The fourth UN Ocean Conference in 2028 will be co-hosted by Chile and Korea. (IANS)