Our ocean, our future: accelerating action

1 We, the Heads of State and Government and high-level representatives, meeting in Nice from 9 – 13
June 2025 at the United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development
Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with the full participation of civil society
and all stakeholders, affirm our strong commitment to conserve and sustainably use our ocean, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development [based on previous declarations].
2 We share one ocean, and we remain gravely concerned with the global emergency it faces from the
impacts of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Action is not
advancing at the speed or scale required to meet SDG 14. A healthy and resilient ocean is essential for
a sustainable ocean economy and underpins cultural and social connections to the ocean. We must act
with urgency to face this challenge with bold, ambitious, just and transformative action, and ensure all
people, including women and girls, people with disability, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and other
marginalised groups are empowered and included in ocean-related decision-making [based on UNSG
background note].
3 We emphasize that our actions to implement Goal 14 should be in accordance with, reinforce and not
duplicate or undermine existing legal instruments, arrangements, processes, mechanisms or entities. We
affirm the need to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean and its resources by
implementing international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS), which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and
their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want. We recognise the importance of
UNCLOS to advancing sustainable development and its near universal adoption by States, as recalled
in paragraph 159 of The Future We Want, and in this regard we urge all its parties to fully implement
their obligations under UNCLOS [based on previous declarations and The Future We Want].
4 We recall the Pact for the Future and our decision to take ambitious action to restore the ocean and its
ecosystems, and to improve its health, productivity, sustainable use and resilience [based on the Pact
for the Future].

Defending ocean ecosystems

5 We note the ocean plays an essential role in addressing climate change, and are deeply alarmed that the
ocean’s ability to act as a climate mitigator has been weakened due to the adverse impacts of climate
change including ocean warming, ocean acidification, eutrophication and deoxygenation, compounded
by marine pollution and biodiversity loss [based on UNSG background note].
6 We underline the importance of the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus and call for concerted global
action to minimise the impact of climate change on ocean biodiversity [based on UNSG background
note and KMGBF].
7 We affirm our commitment to continued cooperation to address climate change-related sea level rise
and its effects, and acknowledge the High-Level Meeting on Sea Level Rise held in New York on 25

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 September 2024. We recognise sea level rise due to climate change disproportionately impacts Small
Island Developing States (SIDS), least developed countries, and coastal communities, and acknowledge
the urgent need for collective action to enhance their adaptive capacities and resilience while mitigating
climate change. Marginalised groups bear the brunt of many of the negative consequences of climate
change and sea level rise [based on ABAS and High-Level Meeting on Sea Level Rise modalities].
8 We commend the leadership of SIDS in managing the challenges associated with sea level rise, and
note in particular the Pacific Islands Forum Declaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the face of
Climate Change-Related Sea-Level Rise and the Alliance of Small Island States Declaration on Sea
Level Rise and Maritime [new language].
9 We welcome the contribution of the International Law Commission (ILC) to our understanding of the
relationship between sea level rise and international law through its study on “Sea-level rise in
relation to international law” and encourage States’ continued engagement with the ILC on this topic
[new language].
10 We acknowledge the 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on the
Request for an Advisory Opinion submitted by the Commission of Small Island States on Climate
Change and International Law. We encourage all States to meet their obligations to prevent, reduce and
control the pollution of the marine environment and to protect and preserve the marine environment in
relation to the impacts of climate change [new language].
11 We remain concerned the high and rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution represents a serious
environmental problem at a global scale, negatively impacting the environmental, social, health, and
economic dimensions of sustainable development. We recognise the transboundary nature of plastic
pollution and efforts to address this crisis through trade, including through the WTO Dialogue on
Plastics Pollution [based on UNSG background note and KMGBF].
12 We reaffirm our shared commitment to accelerate action to prevent, significantly reduce and control
marine pollution of all kinds. We support the work of the IMO in further addressing ship-sourced
pollution and dumping in the marine environment, including biosecurity risks, and encourage members
to address the issue of ghost gear [new language].
13 We reaffirm the need to strengthen integrated coastal zone management, marine spatial planning and
climate intervention and adaptation strategies to enhance the resilience of coastal and marine
ecosystems. We commit to ecosystem-based approaches and nature-based solutions to protect natural
buffers such as mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs, while supporting sustainable livelihoods and
biodiversity and pledge to support the implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative to ensure
coastal communities vulnerable to hazardous weather, water or climate events have equitable access to
timely, accurate, and actionable information [based on UNSG background note].
14 We reiterate the need to increase scientific knowledge on deep sea ecosystems and emphasise the
importance of a precautionary approach, including for deep sea mining. We welcome the work of the

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 International Seabed Authority towards the development of robust rules, regulations and procedures in
accordance with the UNCLOS [based on role of the International Seabed Authority].

Sustainable ocean economies

15 We recognise the tremendous opportunities offered by sustainable ocean-based economies for States,
particularly SIDS, to achieve economic growth and social development while safeguarding the health,
resilience and productivity of marine ecosystems for present and future generations [based on UNSG
background note].
16 We recognise the essential role of sustainable ocean plans in achieving sustainable ocean economies
and call on all coastal and ocean states to commit to the 100% Alliance, ensuring 100 per cent of ocean
areas under national jurisdiction are sustainably managed by 2030. We commit to supporting capacity
building, knowledge exchange, and financial mobilisation to enable countries, especially SIDS, to
develop and implement sustainable ocean plans, [new language].
17 We will ensure by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, marine, and coastal areas are
effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected, and equitably
governed systems of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and other effective area-based conservation
measures, and at least 30 per cent of areas of degraded ecosystems are under effective restoration
(30x30). These efforts should align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,
prioritise areas of critical importance for biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services, and recognise
the integral role of Indigenous Peoples, and of local communities, including their traditional territories
[based on KMGBF].
18 We underscore the central role of a healthy and resilient ocean in sustaining life on Earth, ensuring
global food security, and supporting billions of lives. We are deeply troubled by the escalating depletion
of many global fish stocks through overfishing and call for decisive and collective action to accelerate
transition to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture systems, through enhancing marine spatial planning,
science-based management, promoting, scaling up and replicating successes, and working together to
fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. [based on UNSG background note].
19 We encourage World Trade Organization (WTO) Members to deposit their instruments of acceptance
of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to accelerate its entry into force and implementation. We
call on members to conclude negotiations as soon as possible on additional provisions that contribute
to overcapacity and overfishing to secure a comprehensive fisheries subsidies agreement [new
language].
20 We recognise the critical roles of maritime transport in the global economy and the challenges to
transition the sector to sustainability. Decarbonisation of shipping remains an urgent priority. We
welcome the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) adoption of the 2023 Strategy on Reduction
of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships and its enhanced common ambition to reach net-zero
emissions from international shipping by or around 2050 [based on IMO 2023 Strategy].

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Accelerating action

21 We welcome the adoption of the Agreement under UNCLOS on the Conservation and Sustainable Use
of Marine Biological Diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, and encourage States to sign and ratify
the Agreement to ensure its early entry into force. We welcome resolution 78/272 of the General
Assembly establishing the Preparatory Commission to prepare for the entry into force of the Agreement
and for the first Conference of the Parties and call upon States to engage in the Commission. We
recognise the important role the Agreement will play in achieving 30x30 [new language].
22 We encourage states to take advantage of the updated modalities for describing ecologically or
biologically significant marine areas and explore potential synergies with the future implementation of
the BBNJ [based on decision 16 of CBD COP 16].
23 We recognise the importance of the ongoing work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee
on an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine
environment, reaffirm our commitment to preventing, reducing and eliminating plastic pollution by
taking effective measures throughout the lifecycle of plastics, and call upon participating delegations
to work together to reach an ambitious agreement without delay [based on UNSG background note
and UNEP background document].
24 Ocean action must be based on the best available science and knowledge, including Indigenous
Knowledge, and that of all members of local communities. To that end we:
a. Affirm the value of strengthening sharing of knowledge and expertise, including, where there
is free, prior and informed consent, the knowledges and practices of Indigenous Peoples,
traditional knowledge of local communities, and local knowledge systems.
b. Support new scientific research to meet the multiple challenges of climate change, food
security, energy transitions and biodiversity loss.
c. Commit to improving the scientific understanding of the ocean and supporting science-based
measures to accelerate action, including through the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science
for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and the Regular Process for Global Reporting and
Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects, and its
World Ocean Assessments.
d. Support a strong science-policy interface to provide timely, credible and salient scientific
information to inform policies and actions.
e. Commit to strengthening coordinated international, regional, subregional and national scientific
observation and data collection efforts, including the development of integrated information
management, infrastructure and systems that provide access to reliable, timely and high-quality
marine data.

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 f. Prioritise investments in the creation, expansion, and effective management of MPAs to support
the heath and resilience of ocean ecosystems and the communities that depend on them [based
on UNSG background note].
25 We recognise accelerating ocean action requires significantly increased finance. In this regard, we:
a. Promote the recognition of the sustainable ocean economy as an attractive investment
opportunity among mainstream financial institutions through instruments such as Blue Bonds
and Blue Loans.
b. Encourage the private sector, including banks, insurers and investors, to redirect their products
and services towards the transition to sustainable ocean-based economies by finding innovative
solutions to support the health and resilience of the ocean.
c. Encourage the creation of financial instruments such as microfinance, payments for
environmental services, credit mechanisms, grants, and subsidies.
d. Encourage collaboration on blended finance mechanisms to de-risk investments in developing
countries, facilitating a just transition.
e. Ensure the mobilisation of resources, including concessional financing, from Multilateral
Development Banks, sovereign wealth funds, and governments with a view to overcoming
financial barriers, especially in developing countries.
f. Support small-scale fishers, women and girls, youth, and Indigenous communities.
g. Highlight that charities, philanthropies and other donors will be essential, including in
providing grants and enabling capital and through concessional financing [based on UNSG
background note].
26 We value the voluntary commitments made to implement SDG 14, including at UN Ocean Conferences,
and encourage partnerships to expand initiatives and increase their impact. We support the inclusive
nature of voluntary commitments and underscore the need to implement a simple monitoring and
reporting process to provide a collective metric for progress [based on UNSG background note].