Earth Science News
WATER WORLD
World leaders urged to step up for overexploited oceans
World leaders urged to step up for overexploited oceans
By Nick PERRY, Antoine AGASSE and Fanny CARRIER
Nice, France (AFP) June 8, 2025

World leaders arrived in the French Riviera on Sunday ahead of a high-level summit on ocean conservation, as nations face pressure to adopt tougher stances on overfishing, pollution and marine protection.

The United Nations has sounded the alarm over an oceans "emergency" and leaders gathering in Nice will be called to commit money and stronger protections for the seas.

The UN Ocean Conference, starting Monday, seeks to turn a corner as nations feud over deep-sea mining, plastic litter and exploitative fishing, against a backdrop of wider geopolitical tensions.

"We have a duty to mobilise, because the science is clear and the facts are there," said French President Emmanuel Macron in Monaco on Sunday, where he attended a pre-conference event with Britain's Prince William, among other high-level dignitaries.

Some 60 heads of state and government are expected in Nice, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his Argentine counterpart Javier Milei.

"The planet can no longer tolerate broken promises," said Lula on Sunday.

"Either we act, or the planet is in danger."

- 'No excuses' -

On Sunday, Macron travelled by boat from Monaco to Nice and toured a conference pavilion made to look like the cavernous belly of a whale.

In the evening, he was scheduled to host leaders for a dinner of Mediterranean fish.

France has deployed 5,000 police to Nice for the five-day summit where scientists, business leaders and environmental activists were also to attend in big numbers.

A strong turnout was expected from Pacific Island nations, whose delegations will urge financial aid to combat the rising seas, marine trash and plunder of fish stocks.

The United States under President Donald Trump -- whose recent push to fast-track seabed mining in international waters sparked global outrage -- was not expected to send a delegation.

Conservationists have warned the summit -- which will not produce a legally binding agreement -- risks being a mere talking shop unless leaders come up with concrete proposals to restore marine health.

The UK announced on Sunday that it intended to impose a partial ban on bottom trawling, a destructive fishing method that involves dragging huge nets across the ocean floor.

In a statement, Greenpeace welcomed the decision but said it was "long overdue".

On Saturday, Macron said France would restrict bottom trawling in some of its marine protected areas but was criticised for not going far enough.

- Pay up -

Nations will also face calls to cough up the missing funds to protect 30 percent of the world's oceans by 2030, a target agreed by nearly 200 countries in 2022.

"We've created this sort of myth that governments don't have money for ocean conservation," Brian O'Donnell, director of Campaign for Nature, told reporters.

"There is money. There is not political will," he said.

So far, only around eight percent of oceans are designated marine conservation zones and even less are considered truly protected.

Greenpeace says at this rate, it could take another 82 years to reach the 30 percent goal.

France's environment minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told reporters on Sunday she expected "important announcements" in Nice that would bring a greater share of the world's oceans under conservation protection.

Earlier this week, Samoa declared 30 percent of its national waters under protection with the creation of nine new marine parks.

Conservationists hope others at the summit follow suit.

"All eyes should be on the many Pacific leaders attending... Their ambition and dedication to ocean protection can serve as inspiration to all countries," said Kevin Chand from the nonprofit group Pristine Seas.

Another summit priority will be inching towards the numbers required to ratify a global treaty on harmful fishing subsidies, and another on protecting the high seas beyond national control.

France is also spearheading a push in Nice to build support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining ahead of a closely-watched meeting of the International Seabed Authority in July.

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WATER WORLD
US oyster gardeners rebuild nature's own water-cleaning system
Herald Harbor, United States (AFP) June 8, 2025
For many just a tasty delicacy, the oyster may actually be the hero the world needs to fight environmental degradation - and volunteers like Kimberly Price are battling to repopulate the surprisingly powerful species. The 53-year-old is an "oyster gardener" who fosters thousands of the mollusks at her waterside home until they are old enough to be planted in the Chesapeake Bay near the US capital Washington, where they clean the water and can even offset climate change. Far removed from the men ... read more

WATER WORLD
UK nuclear site could leak until 2050s, MPs warn

Indian navy deploys after crew injured on burning container ship

Israel to expel French nationals on Gaza aid boat by end of week

Trump deploys Marines as tensions rise over Los Angeles protests

WATER WORLD
Trump pocketed over $57 mn from crypto coin sales

AI analysis says Dead Sea Scrolls are older than thought

Google turns internet queries into conversations

China says approved 'certain number' of rare-earth export licences as Trump touts 'done' deal

WATER WORLD
World leaders urged to step up for overexploited oceans

What is the high seas treaty?

Nations call for 'quieter' ocean to help marine life

'No doubt' Canadian firm will be first to extract deep sea minerals: CEO

WATER WORLD
Greenland ice melted much faster than average in May heatwave: scientists

Greenland ice melted much faster than average in May heatwave

Macron, on Greenland visit, berates Trump for threats against the territory

Emperor penguin populations declining faster than expected

WATER WORLD
UK's sunniest spring yields unusually sweet strawberries

China extends anti-dumping probe into EU pork imports

Turkmenistan names high-yield wheat after its leaders

Sri Lanka counts seven million crop-busting monkeys

WATER WORLD
At least 10 dead in flooding in Texas; Floods in DR Congo capital kill at least 19

Thousands evacuated as typhoon nears south China: state media

Vietnam death toll from Typhoon Wutip rises to seven

One dead, 36 injured after 6.1-magnitude earthquake in Peru

WATER WORLD
E.Guinea leader pardons 37 a year after their arrest

Nine killed in Niger jihadist attack: local sources

Nairobi startup's bid to be 'operating system for global South'

Missiles fired over Port Sudan; Mali forces withdraw from base; Jihadist attack in Benin kills soldiers, police

WATER WORLD
If people stopped having babies, how long would it be before humans were all gone?

Overlooked cells might explain the human brain's huge storage capacity

Orangutan Communication Reveals Surprising Complexity Once Thought Uniquely Human

Ancient Hands Reveal Diverse Gripping Abilities in Early Hominins

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.