MEPs demand tougher ocean management at the UN Conference, urging vital global action for sustainable marine health
European Parliament Seeks Urgent Action On Ocean Degradation
A European Parliament delegation is currently participating in the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), taking place from 8 to 11 June in Nice, France.
The delegation, comprising members from the committees on Environment, Climate and Food Safety, Fisheries, and Development, plans to engage with representatives from international organisations, national governments, researchers, fishermen, and ocean protection non-governmental organisations.
With only five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, concerns are escalating as merely 10% of the targets set under Sustainable Development Goal 14 “Life Below Water” are currently on track or have been met. The persistent threats to ocean health include eutrophication, increasing acidification, diminishing fish stocks, severe pollution, and rising temperatures. The third UNOC is explicitly aimed at fostering urgent action to conserve and sustainably utilise the ocean, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development, under the overarching theme of “accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.”
Christophe Clergeau, a Member of the European Parliament from the S&D group in France and chair of the delegation from the Committee on Environment, Climate and Food Safety, stated, “In a context of rising international tensions and anti-environmental governments, the EU must reaffirm its role as a global leader in ocean protection and restoration — for the benefit of both people and the planet. To make meaningful progress, the UNOC must tackle the root causes of ocean degradation. This means eliminating plastic and chemical pollution as well as protecting and restoring marine biodiversity. The ocean can offer high-quality, well-paid jobs but you cannot have a blue economy with dying oceans. We must act with courage and ambition, and the EU must lead by example. In that sense, we welcome the Commission’s European Ocean Pact, which will be followed by an Ocean Act in 2026: the first major EU law dedicated to the ocean.”
Isabelle Le Callennec, a Member of the European Parliament from the EPP group in France and chair of the Committee on Fisheries delegation, added, “I expect this international conference to send a strong signal to the world about the vital ecological and economic value of our seas and oceans. We must place sustainable fisheries at the heart of this agenda, recognizing the strategic role they play in securing food sovereignty, supporting coastal communities, and driving innovation. I hope to see clear and ambitious commitments to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which seriously undermines the competitiveness of our European fishing sector. Our fishermen operate under the highest social and environmental standards, and they deserve a level playing field. Safeguarding their future also means protecting the quality and safety of food for all European citizens.”
Isabella Lövin, chair of the delegation of the Committee on Development, remarked, “When I was deputy prime minister of Sweden, we, together with Fiji, took the initiative to organise the very first UNOC in 2017. It is therefore with great personal joy I look forward to participating in the third edition, with a record number of participating heads of state and events. This is both encouraging and necessary. The conference is a crucial opportunity to push for increased global ambitions, and strengthening international cooperation is absolutely necessary if we are to safeguard our oceans and Earth’s ecosystems for future generations. The ocean is our Earths life support system, no more, no less.”
EU Initiatives Highlighted Amidst Global Concerns
Discussions on future ocean initiatives at both EU and international levels have recently taken place within European Parliament committees, involving the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis. The European Oceans Pact, presented by the Commission on 5 June 2025, was also debated in plenary on 2 April 2025.
The development and environment committees are currently working on a report assessing the implementation and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This report is expected to underscore critical issues such as alarming trends in marine pollution, coastal eutrophication, ocean acidification, rising temperatures, declining fish stocks, and widespread habitat destruction. Concurrently, the committee on fisheries is preparing two pertinent reports: one on “The role of ocean diplomacy for the competitiveness of EU fisheries and aquaculture,” and another on “The role of social, economic and environmental standards in safeguarding fair competition for all aquatic food products and improving food security.”
Source: Press Release