bloggggg

Home  |  Live  |  Science  |  Lifestyle  |  Entertainment  |  Broadcast  |  Games  |  eBooks  |  Astounds  |  Adbite  |  Cricbell  |  Cyber  |  Idea  |  Digital  |  Privacy  |  Publish  |  ePaper  |  Contact  .Subscribe.Subscribe.Subscribe.Subscribe.Subscribe.Subscribe.Subscribe.Subscribe.Subscribe
Subscribe

Friday, 22 August 2025

World Oceans Summit Ends with Deep-Sea Mining Clash, But Gaps Remain in Funding and Fossil Fuel Action

Olivier Poivre D'Arvor, Special Envoy of the French Republic for UN Ocean Conference at UNOC3 press briefing on June 13, 2025.

NICE, France — The largest-ever United Nations summit dedicated to the oceans concluded on Friday in the southern French city of Nice, with world leaders pledging a strong commitment to step up marine protection and prepare for contentious negotiations over deep-sea mining next month.

The five-day gathering brought together over 60 heads of state and government, alongside thousands of scientists, business leaders, and activists. The urgency of the situation was a recurring theme, with the UN calling the state of the world's oceans an "emergency."

Treaty Momentum Builds

A key achievement was the momentum behind the High Seas Treaty, which aims to protect 60% of the oceans lying beyond national jurisdictions. Nineteen additional countries ratified the treaty during the summit. This brings the total number of signatory nations to 50, placing the treaty just 10 short of the 60 required for it to officially enter into force.

Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, France’s oceans envoy, expressed optimism that this crucial threshold would be met by September 2025, well in advance of its proposed effective date of January 2026. Environmental campaigners, including Rebecca Hubbard of the High Seas Alliance, lauded the substantial progress, calling it a pivotal moment for ocean conservation. However, she simultaneously urged all remaining countries to ratify the agreement "without delay," emphasising the urgent need for its full implementation to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems.

Deep-Sea Mining in the Crosshairs

As the global spotlight now shifts to the contentious July negotiations concerning the future of deep-sea mining, significant tensions flared at the Summit. France and its allies expressed their opposition to any hasty exploitation of the ocean floor's mineral resources, issuing stark warnings of irreversible damage to what remains one of Earth's last untouched frontiers.

"Nobody knows what is there in the deep sea... you cannot launch recklessly down this path," cautioned Olivier Poivre d’Arvor. He’s underscored the profound lack of scientific understanding of these delicate ecosystems. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed this sentiment, urging extreme caution and warning against transforming the ocean's depths into a lawless "wild west.

Although 37 nations are now part of a global alliance against deep-sea mining — four more than before the summit — the number fell short of expectations, suggesting difficult debates ahead.

Conservation Gains – and Gaps

Several countries, including Greece, Samoa, and Colombia, announced expansive new marine protected areas. This helped push global conservation coverage to just over 10% of the world's oceans. While a positive step, this still leaves a considerable gap in reaching the target of protecting 30% of marine and coastal areas by 2030, as set out in the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Furthermore, new pledges were made to curb underwater trawling, a highly destructive fishing method. However, activists had advocated for an outright ban on the practice, highlighting that those commitments fall short of the comprehensive action needed for true marine recovery.

Disappointment Over Fossil Fuels and Financing

Despite ambitious rhetoric, many observers left the summit disappointed about two glaring omissions: fossil fuels and funding. The final political declaration — negotiated for months and adopted unanimously — made no mention of coal, oil, or gas, despite their central role in ocean warming and acidification.

“Ignoring the imperative of phasing out offshore oil and gas is not just an injustice: it is inadmissible,” said Bruna Campos from the Centre for International Environmental Law. Former US climate envoy John Kerry echoed that view, stating: “You cannot protect the ocean without confronting the biggest root cause bringing it to the breaking point.”

Financial commitments also fell short. Private donors pledged €8.7 billion ($10 billion) over five years, but the UN estimates that $175 billion annually is needed for sustainable ocean development. Small island nations, particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and illegal fishing, voiced frustration at the lack of support. As a symbolic cacophony of ship foghorns rang out to close the summit, many participants agreed: important steps were taken, but the fight to save the oceans is far from over.By Zinhle Dlamini World Oceans Summit Ends with Deep-Sea Mining Clash, But Gaps Remain in Funding and Fossil Fuel Action