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UN Ocean Conference Kickstarts In Nice | Macron Welcomes Participants, Vows To Protect Oceans

French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron welcomed global leaders to an opening dinner in Nice on June 8 for the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), held at the historic Negresco hotel. The conference, running from July 9 to 13, seeks to boost support for a treaty to protect ocean biodiversity, which currently lacks enough signatories to take effect. Macron emphasized France’s leadership in marine protection, downplaying the absence of U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration. He expressed hope that more than the current 30 nations will commit to halting deep-sea exploitation. Highlighting five interconnected ocean crises—biodiversity loss, water quality, food security, health, and climate change—Macron called for increased European funding for scientific deep-sea research. France is co-hosting the event with Costa Rica, a country recognized for environmental stewardship. Macron urged a unified global response, describing unregulated deep-sea exploitation as reckless and scientifically unjustified.

first published: Jun 9, 2025 10:20 am