On World Ocean Day, HSA’s Strategy Advisor and Europe Regional Coordinator Nathalie Rey addressed the Mission Neptune’s Forum in Paris, a major international gathering devoted to the Ocean as a planetary system of life and cooperation. Her powerful reflection on the significance of the ocean, the High Seas Treaty and collaboration are shared below:
“For those of us who were lucky enough to witness the gavel coming down on the final negotiations of the High Seas Treaty on 4 March 2023, after marathon discussions and a masterclass in diplomacy, we were party to something extraordinary that day.
Not only the tears of relief, joy and exhaustion by many in the room, including Ambassador Rena Lee who so graciously led the “ship to shore”, but also a powerful demonstration of what multilateralism can achieve.
This was a historic moment. It showed us what is possible when the world comes together for the good of the planet and its people.
But this did not happen overnight. Political change takes time.
This work has taken more than two decades of my life. When I began working on this issue, I didn’t have children yet. Today, they are grown up with one foot out of the door. That is the scale of time that multilateral change sometimes demands – not years, not a decade, but generations. And yet, when that gavel came down in New York, every one of those years felt worth it- a moment some of us wait a whole career for.
Multilateral negotiations are, by design, state-driven. Governments hold the pen. They cast the votes. They sign the agreements. But anyone who has spent time in a negotiating room knows that the formal process is only part of the story.
Behind every ambitious outcome is a web of relationships – between delegations sharing language late at night, between scientists and lawyers translating complexity into workable text, between traditional and political leaders finding common ground, and between civil society and journalists raising public attention.
This is where alliances come into their own. Not by replacing State leadership – but by supporting it. This is the gap that civil society fills- helping bridge geopolitical divides that official channels cannot always cross.
The High Seas Alliance brings together over 80 organisations under one coordinated umbrella, working with governments, legal experts, scientists, indigenous leaders and youth representatives. From when we were established in 2011, our aim has been to speak with one strategic voice, grounded in science, anchored in equity, and always promoting the most ambitious outcome possible.
In practice, this has meant being in the room- formally and informally- as a trusted partner to delegations – particularly smaller States with limited capacity to participate in all the parallel negotiations and meetings- providing updates, technical briefings, legal analysis, and draft language.
The partnerships that shaped this outcome are worth naming. At the High Seas Alliance we have an incredible team of regional coordinators working in every corner of the globe. As the Europe regional coordinator, I have had the pleasure of working closely with France – Ambassador Poivre d’Arvor, Ashok and their dedicated team- on the Race for 60 Ratifications ahead of the UN Ocean Conference and UNGA last year. France brought political weight and diplomatic reach. We brought regional expertise and coordination. Together we worked seamlessly – and the result spoke for itself. Entry into force, achieved in just two years.
Europe is just one example. Across Asia, the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa and the Pacific, our teams have been working closely with governments, building capacity through workshops, facilitating informal dialogues, and helping delegations navigate the BBNJ process. We also have been amplifying the voices of developing nations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and ensuring that equity and effective participation are treated as a foundation, not a negotiating chip.
The Treaty has entered into force. COP1 is on the horizon. But the same challenges we faced in the negotiating room – equity, funding, political will, capacity – now follow us into the implementation phase, and they will test us just as hard, if not harder.
This is precisely why the partnerships we have built matter more than ever. Initiatives like Mission Neptune that brings together governments, civil society, science and philanthropy around a shared ambition- show us the formula we need. Partnerships built on mutual respect, with a shared conviction to keep ambition high and momentum alive all the way to COP1 and beyond.
As we gather here on World Ocean Day, there is a saying that while a bit of a cliche, is very timely and fitting. “Alone we are a drop, together we are an ocean.” For those of us who have spent years fighting for the High Seas this is not just a metaphor for how we got here. It must be the only way we move forward.”