The third UN Ocean Conference will meet in Nice, on the shores of the Mediterranean, one of the world’s most exploited seas. With marine life and coastal communities at risk, the world must act now to increase and speed up protection measures
On the 9 - 13 3 June 2025, the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) will take place in a marine region that is facing one of the worst environmental crises: the Mediterranean. As heads of state, ministers, scientists, and civil society gather to discuss the future of our global oceans, the Mediterranean will stand out as a stark and urgent reminder of marine degradation and of recovery actions that can no longer be delayed.
Covering less than 1% of the world’s ocean, the Mediterranean is home to nearly 18% of known marine species, many of them endemic. It is a cradle of biodiversity, a cultural crossroad, a vital carbon sink, and a critical habitat for many endangered species. Yet despite its significance, the Mediterranean is facing a deep ecological crisis.
Overfishing continues at unsustainable levels, with 58% of assessed fish stocks overexploited, threatening not only marine ecosystems but also the livelihoods and food security of coastal communities. Meanwhile, plastic and toxic pollution are choking the Mare Nostrum, one of the most polluted in the world.
Climate change is hitting the region 20% faster than the global ocean average, disrupting marine ecosystems and threatening biodiversity . Critical habitats, essential for supporting marine life , carbon storage and coastal protection, are withering under the combined impacts of rising temperatures, overfishing, acidification, and pollution.
This is the sobering setting for UNOC 2025, a world event aiming to galvanize global ambition around the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.
But ambition, and political declarations alone, are not enough. Statements and announcements made under the spotlight of global events must be matched by strong and concrete measures.
This is particularly the case for France, the hosting country of UNOC25.
Only a few miles from Nice, in the deep waters of the Gulf of Lion, there is a glaring example of France’s failure to enact its own commitments to protect the Mediterranean Sea.
The Gulf of Lion Fisheries Restricted Area (FRA), established in 2008 to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems and key habitats of commercial species, remains open to bottom trawling, in defy of scientific advice for a total ban.
The Mediterranean Sea is more than a scenic world stage —it is a test on France’s credibility in front of UNOC, and an opportunity to prove to the world community that by fully protecting the Gulf of Lion FR, France can lead by example.
