Ocean of Our Ancestors ‘Can Be More than Legend, It Can Be Our Legacy’ Says Secretary-General, Opening Nice Conference

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ opening remarks to the United Nations Ocean Conference, in Nice, France, today:

Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron, Señor Presidente de la República de Costa Rica, Estimado Rodrigo Chaves Robles, excellences, chers amis, permettez-moi tout d'abord de remercier nos hôtes, les gouvernements de la France et du Costa Rica, d'avoir organisé cette conférence.

Let me begin by thanking our hosts, the Governments of France and Costa Rica, for convening this conference.

Et merci à tous d’être là, à Nissa la bella — ville à la mer d’azur et au ciel pur.

And thank you all for being here, in “Nissa la bella” — city of azure seas and clear skies.

Nous voici réunis sur les rives de la Méditerranée, carrefour de continents, de cultures et de commerce.

We gather beside the Mediterranean — a crossroads of continents, cultures and commerce.

Une mer qui, depuis des millénaires, est source de vie — et qui nous rappelle notre profonde dépendance à l'égard de l'océan.

A sea that has sustained life for millennia — reminding us of our deep dependence on the ocean.

L'océan produit la moitié de l'oxygène que nous respirons.

The ocean generates half of the oxygen we breathe.  Il nourrit 3 milliards de personnes et fait vivre 600 millions d’autres.

It feeds 3 billion people and sustains 600 million livelihoods.

L'économie des océans a plus que doublé en 30 ans — et elle continue de croître.

The ocean economy has more than doubled in 30 years — and keeps growing.

Le transport maritime assure, à lui seul, plus de 80 per cent du commerce mondial.

Maritime transport alone moves over 80 per cent of global trade.

L’océan est notre bien commun par excellence.

The ocean is the ultimate shared resource.

Pourtant, nous sommes en train de le piller.

But we are failing it.

Les stocks de poissons s'effondrent.

Fish stocks are collapsing.

La surconsommation et la pêche illégale poussent des espèces au bord de l’extinction.

Over-consumption and illegal fishing are pushing marine life to the brink.

Chaque année, 23 millions de tonnes de plastique sont déversées dans les eaux et asphyxient les écosystèmes.

Plastic pollution is choking ecosystems — with 23 million tons of waste entering waters every year.

Les émissions de carbone provoquent l'acidification et le réchauffement des océans — détruisant les récifs de corail et accélérant la montée des eaux.

Carbon emissions are driving ocean acidification and heating — destroying coral reefs and accelerating sea level rise.

Si on ne change pas de cap, cette acceleration va submerger les deltas, detruire les récoltes et engloutir les littoraux, menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles.

If we do not change course, this rise will submerge deltas, destroy crops, and swallow coastlines — threatening many islands’ survival.

L'océan absorbe désormais 90 per cent de l'excédent de chaleur piégé par les gaz à effet de serre.

The ocean now stores 90 per cent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.

Autant de symptômes d’un système en crise… et qui s’auto-alimente.

These are symptoms of a system in crisis — and they are feeding off each other.

Brisant les chaînes alimentaires…  Anéantissant les moyens de subsistance… Augmentant l’insécurité.

Unravelling food chains.  Destroying livelihoods.  Deepening insecurity.

Cette insécurité est exacerbée par la criminalité : piraterie, trafic d’êtres humains, réseaux organisés et pillage des ressources volent des vies, freinent le développement et privent les communautés côtières de leurs droits.

And insecurity is rising not only from natural forces — but from criminal ones.  Piracy, organized crime, human trafficking, and the looting of natural resources are threatening lives, undermining development and robbing coastal communities of their rights.

Since the last UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, we have seen progress.

We have also seen a growing awareness of the deep interconnection between preserving biodiversity and marine ecosystems, combating climate change and stopping pollution.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set a bold pledge:  To conserve and manage at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030.

Member States also adopted the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction — a historic breakthrough.

I urge all delegations to ratify it — and welcome good news delivered by President Macron and the momentum this conference is generating towards its swift entry into force.

I also call on all countries to agree on an ambitious and legally binding treaty on plastic pollution — this year.

It is essential to successfully conclude the agreement on fisheries currently discussed at World Trade Organization.

The International Maritime Organization committed to reach net-zero emissions from shipping by 2050.

And last year’s General Assembly Meeting on Sea Level Rise underscored that statehood and sovereignty cannot be undermined by rising seas.

This proves multilateralism works — but only if we match words with action.

By developing concrete national plans aligned with global targets; by harnessing science, driving innovation, and ensuring fair access to technology; by empowering fishers, Indigenous peoples and youth; and above all, by investing.

SDG 14 on life below water remains one of the least funded Sustainable Development Goals.

This must change — through increased public finance, greater support from development banks, and bold models to unlock private capital.  I urge all countries to come forward with bold pledges.

Small island developing States need support to build resilience and thrive in the blue economy.

Many struggle to access healthy, affordable food — underscoring the urgent need to restore local fisheries and strengthen ocean-based food systems.

We must also strengthen maritime security as a pillar of sustainable development.

And we must embed ocean priorities across climate, food systems and sustainable finance.

Because without a healthy ocean, there can be no healthy planet.

Finally, nations are also navigating new waters on seabed mining:

I support the ongoing work of the International Seabed Authority on this important issue.

The deep sea cannot become the Wild West.

We live in an age of turmoil, but the resolve I see here gives me hope.

Hope that we can turn the tide.

That we can move from plunder to protection.

From exclusion to equity.

From short-term exploitation to long-term stewardship.

We know it’s possible.

When we reached a global moratorium on commercial whaling, whale populations recovered.

When we protect marine areas, life returns.

Today, we have the opportunity to restore marine abundance.  What was lost in a generation can return in a generation.

The ocean of our ancestors — teeming with life and diversity — can be more than legend.  It can be our legacy.

I wish you a successful conference.