UN Ocean Conference 2025 Opens with Urgent Call to Protect Ocean and Humanity

The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference has opened in Nice, France, amid soaring global ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, and escalating threats to coastal communities. Running from 9 to 13 June, the conference is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and convenes world leaders, scientists, UN agencies, and activists with a singular aim — to accelerate global efforts to protect the ocean from human-induced harm and ensure ocean-based threats do not devastate human life.

As marine heatwaves intensify, acidification worsens, and storms grow more powerful, the call to action has never been more urgent. The event is expected to culminate in the adoption of the Nice Ocean Action Plan — a comprehensive political declaration and a registry of voluntary commitments supporting Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.

Top Leaders Call for Science-Based Action

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles jointly issued passionate appeals for bold, science-led interventions to halt the decline in ocean health.

“We live in an age of turmoil, but the resolve I see here gives me hope,” said Mr Guterres, reflecting on the urgency to act.

The ocean absorbs over 90% of excess heat generated by human activity. This warming — coupled with glacial melt — is accelerating sea-level rise, while acidification and warming are destroying ecosystems, damaging fisheries, and battering the Blue Economy.

WMO’s Leadership: Turning the Tide with Science and Cooperation

Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), emphasized the importance of global cooperation, open data sharing, and standardized forecasting tools to reverse the degradation of ocean systems.

“We need scientific cooperation, data exchange, and knowledge — coupled with political will,” she said at a high-level panel sponsored by Panama and Portugal.

Saulo highlighted the critical role of the WMO in:

• Supporting early warning systems

• Optimizing maritime operations to reduce emissions

• Enhancing ocean observation through programs like Argo, which includes 4,000 robotic floats monitoring ocean heat, sea-level changes, and currents.

WMO also co-sponsors the Global Ocean Observing System alongside UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. These thousands of observation platforms are the backbone of accurate weather and climate forecasting.

New Initiative: “10,000 Ships for the Ocean”

In response to declining participation in voluntary ocean data sharing, WMO, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and UNESCO’s IOC will launch a new initiative titled “10,000 Ships for the Ocean” on 13 June. The goal: to enlist thousands more vessels in contributing real-time weather and ocean data, strengthening global monitoring systems for climate and disaster response.

Building Coastal Resilience: From Forecast to Community Preparedness

During a special side event titled “From Coast to Community: Building Resilience Through Early Warnings,” Jamaica’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith, along with Saulo and UN representatives, spotlighted success stories of early warning systems saving lives:

• In the Caribbean, collaborative efforts helped minimize casualties during Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded.

• In Mozambique, Cyclone Freddy in 2023 saw thousands of lives saved due to improved communication and preparedness.

• Bangladesh and Myanmar acted swiftly ahead of Cyclone Mocha, allowing humanitarian agencies to reach the most vulnerable.

• In the Philippines, back-to-back typhoons in 2024 tested the country’s resilience but demonstrated the power of localized early warnings.

“Even the perfect forecast will fail if it doesn’t reach the people who need it,” warned Saulo. “That’s why we must strengthen national meteorological services and foster partnerships with local communities.”

Ocean Heat Data: Alarming Trends Highlight Need for Action

According to the WMO State of the Global Climate 2024 report, the heat content of the upper 2,000 meters of the global ocean increased by 16 zettajoules between 2023 and 2024. That’s roughly 140 times the world’s annual electricity consumption — a stark sign of the planet’s escalating energy imbalance.

A Political Declaration With Teeth

The Nice Ocean Action Plan, expected to be adopted at the close of the conference, aims to:

• Strengthen marine biodiversity protection

• Expand ocean-based climate solutions

• Mobilize sustainable financing for marine conservation

• Empower Small Island Developing States and vulnerable communities

Global Unity to Protect a Shared Resource

The 2025 UN Ocean Conference comes at a time when the ocean — the Earth’s life-support system — is under unprecedented pressure. Leaders, scientists, and communities gathered in Nice are united by one mission: to turn the tide before irreversible damage is done.

As Saulo stated powerfully, “Let us ensure science serves all communities — and that no one is left behind.”