Paris [France], May 27 (ANI): The French Ambassador for the Ocean and French President's Special Envoy for the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), Olivier Poivre d'Arvor, on Tuesday emphasised the urgent need to implement the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty to address the escalating challenges facing global oceans.

Speaking ahead of the UNOC3 summit scheduled for June 2025 in Nice, France, d'Arvor highlighted the critical role of Indo-Pacific nations as key stakeholders in the Blue Economy while also noting the dire consequences of a projected four-metre sea-level rise by 2100.

His remarks underscore the global imperative to prioritise ocean conservation amidst climate change, a sentiment echoed by diplomatic sources emphasising the need for comprehensive action to protect marine ecosystems.

'This is the first UN summit organised after Trump's election... Participants coming from the Indo-Pacific region are key players... They are the first beneficiaries of the Blue Economy... Shipping, Maritime Support, Fisheries... Indo-Pacific is deeply concerned about the future of the ocean... A four-metre rise in sea level by 2100... The summit is mainly organised for the stakeholders from the science, technology, and business sectors... The first-ever summit to be organised on the blue economy will have 16 heads of state from the Pacific region participating... Summits on the cities and regions affected by the sea-level rise will also be discussed... We need to implement the BBNJ Treaty also,' D'Arvor stated.

He further stated that India, which signed the treaty in July last year, needs to ratify it.

The BBNJ Agreement, or the 'High Seas Treaty', is an international treaty under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It aims to address the growing concerns over the long-term protection of marine biodiversity in the high seas. It sets precise mechanisms for the sustainable use of marine biological diversity through international cooperation and coordination. Parties cannot claim or exercise sovereign rights over marine resources derived from the high seas and ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits. It follows an inclusive, integrated, ecosystem-centric approach based on the precautionary principle and promotes using traditional knowledge and the best available scientific knowledge. It helps minimise impacts on the marine environment through area-based management tools and establishes rules for conducting environmental impact assessments. It would also contribute to achieving several SDGs, particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

A French diplomatic source further contextualised the urgency of ocean protection during discussions with stakeholders.

The source revealed a significant gap in global focus, noting that despite being part of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the ocean remains the least financed.

The source noted that 90 per cent of the excess heat from global climate change is absorbed by marine systems, leading to tremendous consequences for marine life and coastal communities, stressing the need for a push for ocean-centric initiatives for the exacerbated marine ecosystems critical for global biodiversity and livelihoods.

'Need to protect oceans with complete actions.... Created general momentum in climate change by COP...17 SDGs, and the ocean is the least well-financed, and nobody is really focusing on it, and we need to change that... At 90 per cent of the excess is from global climate change. Tremendous consequences for marine life and the lives of people who depend on the ocean,' the French diplomatic source said.

The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from June 9 - 13, 2025.

The overarching theme of the Conference is 'Accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean'. The Conference aims to support further and urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and identify further ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14. (ANI)