Read about some of the highlights from the High Seas Alliance at the third United Ocean Conference in Nice, France:
Day 5: Final day of UNOC3
The 3rd UN Ocean Conference is ending today with a historic step towards ensuring greater High Seas protection. With 19 additional countries depositing their ratifications, the total number of that count toward the High Seas Treaty’s entry into force has now reached 50. Only 10 more are needed to cross the critical 60-country threshold that would trigger the Treaty’s coming into effect. Read our closing press release here.
Day 4: A strong statement delivered in Plenary
Today at #UNOC3, HSA Director Rebecca Hubbard delivered a powerful plenary statement celebrating an extraordinary week of progress for the #HighSeasTreaty.
When the week began, just 31 of the 60 ratifications needed to bring the Treaty into force had been deposited. As of today, 18 more countries have ratified. This is a milestone moment, and a testament to the leadership of governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, youth and scientists, united in their efforts to protect nearly half our planet. While we celebrate, the work is not done. We urge all remaining nations to ratify to ensure the Treaty becomes a truly global force for ocean protection.
Watch the full statement:
On day 4, we were also proud to be part of a powerful side event in the Green Zone co-hosted alongside the The University of Edinburgh – Nippon Foundation Ocean Voices Programme, the Government of Fiji, the Office of the Pacific Commissioner, FutureFaith, and Turtle Village Trust.
Together, we explored the diverse, intersecting, and often overlooked values that shape how communities care for marine ecosystems from national waters to the High Seas.
Discussions covered cultural, ecological, legal, spiritual, and community-rooted perspectives. HSA Pacific Regional Coordinator Olive Justine Vaai was also present to highlight how integrating these values, especially those of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and small island states, can strengthen the implementation of the BBNJ Agreement and help achieve SDG 14.
Day 3: the Green Zone!
From Treaty to Action: Multi-Stakeholder Cooperation for the High Seas
This Green Zone side event brought together a wide range of stakeholders to explore how to translate the Treaty’s promise into concrete governance and conservation outcomes.
Key themes explored included:
- The vital role of diverse sectors, from governments and legal experts to Indigenous Peoples, civil society, youth, and scientists, in shaping inclusive and representative ocean institutions.
- The need for robust, transparent science and Indigenous knowledge in decision-making processes.
- How existing frameworks and regional bodies can align and cooperate with the new BBNJ regime.
- The importance of timely, inclusive preparations to ensure the Treaty’s effective implementation post-ratification.
Co-hosted alongisde the Pew Charitable Trusts, Tara Ocean Foundation, the Sargasso Sea Commission, ANCORS, DSCC, AND IDDRI, and co-sponsored by the governments of the Bermuda, Monaco, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom, the session reinforced that a collaborative, future-ready approach is essential to protect the ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction. Thank you to everyone who attended!
Octavia on display at the Festival for the Ocean – WOW25
Our beloved #RaceForRatification mascot Octavia is making waves at #UNOC3! Two of her tentacles are on display at the Festival for the Ocean #wow25 and they’re hard to miss! Come say hi, take a picture and tag us! The installation will be up until Friday and entry to the festival is free. For location details and to get your pass, visit wow25nice.com
High Seas Alliance Director on why it is urgent to get 60 ratifications of the High Seas Treaty:
Day 2: Celebrating Momentum
On the second day of #UNOC3, we co-hosted a high-level reception alongside the Blue Marine Foundation and IUCN to celebrate the progress made and renew commitments to this historic Agreement.
Held at Ocean House on the shores of Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat, the evening brought together high-level representatives from governments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, science, philanthropy and international organizations. The event offered a moment of reflection, recognition and shared ambition for the next chapter of High Seas protection.
We heard from: Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, highlighting the EU’s continued leadership to ocean governance; Minister Kang Do Hyung, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, reaffirmed Korea’s support for swift ratification and implementation of the Treaty; Grethel Aguilar, Director General of IUCN, who stressed the importance of collaboration in safeguarding areas beyond national jurisdiction; Solomon Pili Kahoʻohalahala, Indigenous leader who highlighted the vital role of Indigenous knowledge in ocean stewardship and offered a traditional chant to inspire and energize continued action; and HSA Director Rebecca Hubbard, who emphasized the collective efforts and momentum built over the past two years in the #RaceForRatification. The evening closed with a beautiful musical performance by Whaia.
As we approach a critical juncture for the High Seas Treaty, this event was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve together with ambition.
Blue March, World Ocean Day and Day 1 of UNOC 3
The third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) kicked off following an inspiring weekend of both, the Blue March and World Ocean Day, dedicated to celebrating everything the ocean does for us. Covering two-thirds of the global ocean, the High Seas play a critical role in sustaining life on Earth. During these events, we called on all countries to ratify the High Seas Treaty and ensure the protection of this vast, vital ecosystem.
Day 1 of UNOC started strong with our Blue Zone high-level event, organized in close partnership with several States and key ocean stakeholders. During this event, several important announcements underscored the growing global commitment to ocean health and the sustainable management of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions. Many government leaders announced imminent ratification plans. Other key announcements included: the relaunch of the High Ambition Coalition of governments for BBNJ, co-chaired by Palau, Seychelles and the European Union, aimed at accelerating Treaty ratification and implementation; The Minderoo Foundation announcing a AUD 10 million (approximately USD 6.5 million) pledge to accelerate the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the High Seas; and Bloomberg Ocean Initiative announced it will fund a Secretariat for the BBNJ First Movers, a government collaborative committed to fast-tracking the creation of high seas MPAs in priority biodiversity hotspots. For a full overview of all the key developments, please read our detailed press release here.
The day ended on a high note with a special High Seas Treaty event celebrating a major milestone: 49 countries plus the European Union have now ratified the Treaty. This is a powerful way to start the week, showing tremendous momentum and bringing us closer to the Treaty’s entry into force.
Watch this video message from the HSA Director Rebecca Hubbard to hear more about this historic moment and what lies ahead for ocean protection.