A fleet of 30 research and exploration vessels from around the world set sail just off the French coastal city of Nice on Sunday to kick off the third UN Ocean Conference and mark World Oceans Day. The event themed "Ocean Wonders" will see the vessels sail across Nice's Baie des Anges, or Bay of Angels. It's designed to spotlight the beauty of the ocean while urging world leaders not to lose sight of its value as they make environmental decisions. Thousands of delegates, including heads of state and scientists, are due in Nice this week to confront growing threats to the ocean and the need to transform pledges into protection, the AP reports.
The United Nations has called the threats a global emergency as oceans face rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless exploitation of fish and other resources. Just 2.7% of the global ocean is effectively protected from destructive activities like industrial fishing and deep-sea mining—far below the global goal of 30% by 2030. At the heart of the conference is a push to ratify the High Seas Treaty, adopted in 2023. If it takes effect, countries for the first time would be allowed to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean and remain largely ungoverned. The treaty "is critical to ensuring we can protect biodiversity in the ocean," said Rebecca Hubbard of the High Seas Alliance. "We're in the middle of a biodiversity and climate crisis. We absolutely have to protect the ocean to address those crises." The conference is key to change, said Sílvia Tavares of Oceano Azul Foundation. As of now, Tavares said, "The ambition is not there, the speed is not there, and the scale has not been there."
Participating vessels Sunday included:
- The Energy Observer, a solar-panel covered catamaran that was the first vessel to circumnavigate the globe using renewable energy alone. It produces hydrogen fuel on board via seawater electrolysis, offering a vision of zero-emissions maritime travel.
- France's Alfred Merlin, which is dedicated to underwater archaeology.
- The OceanXplorer, a high-tech billionaire-owned research yacht.
- The WWF's Blue Panda, which is working to map and protect the last remaining seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean Sea.
(
Ocean With David Attenborough provides a wake-up call about the stakes.)
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