What is the UN Oceans Conference and How Does it Help Achieve SDG14?

Oceans play a critical role in life on Earth. They provide us with air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat and they regulate our weather systems. In recent years, however, oceans have been increasingly under pressure from climate change impacts and other human-induced threats. Massive amounts of plastic waste, risks of extinction to marine species, sea level rise and severe marine heatwaves are just a few of the threats to our oceans – and to the vulnerable coastal communities who depend on them. To drive multilateral action to protect our oceans, the United Nations brings stakeholders together under the UN Oceans Conference (UNOC).

What is its purpose and how does it work?

The UN Oceans Conference is an important UN conference that specifically focuses on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. It is relatively new having held its first edition in New York in 2017 (UNOC1) and its second in 2022 in Lisbon (UNOC2). However, its importance is growing, especially in recognition of the intensifying threats to marine environments and the importance of healthy oceans. In Lisbon, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described this as an "Ocean emergency." 

The idea to convene a high-level United Nations Conference on oceans traces itself back to the Rio Convention of 2012 and the “2030 Agenda” adopted in 2015, which outlines the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following both, it was acknowledged that political momentum and urgent actions were needed to achieve the goals of SDG 14, which contains 10 ocean-related targets. More critically, SDG 14 itself is the lowest funded among them all.

The conference is officially organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), which oversees SDG implementation, but host countries change. Participants include countries, UN organizations, NGOs, the scientific community, private sector companies, Indigenous peoples and local communities. Like other major UN summits, heads of state and high-level representatives are in attendance, and civil society has an important role to play. Its inclusive format is imperative as threats to oceans impact food security, livelihoods, maritime transportation, global trade, natural and cultural heritage and more. It also provides an important moment to highlight impacts to vulnerable groups, such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coastal communities, as well as crucial local and Indigenous knowledge.

UNOC’s agenda is carried out through plenaries, high-level debates and dialogues with the aim of galvanizing support for initiatives and for announcing national commitments. Furthermore, it provides momentum for other UN processes such as the Climate COP, Biodiversity Convention and the Global Oceans Treaty.

How does the conference advance SDG14: Life Below Water?

The conference is all about raising commitments and establishing innovative initiatives. New followers of UNOC can catch up quickly by looking at its first themes. UNOC1, "Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14", spoke to the need for greater multilateral action. It alerted the world of threats to the Ocean, and parties adopted a 14-point Call for Action to inspire action. UNOC2's, “Scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: Stocktaking, partnerships and solutions” led to the 30x30 Ocean Action Plan, a voluntary commitment by Member States to protect at least 30 per cent of the global ocean by 2030.

Continued calls to do more to ensure healthy oceans have paved the way for UNOC3's “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to converse and sustainably use the ocean.”

The political declaration for the 2025 conference identifies three key priority areas: defending ocean ecosystems, sustainable ocean economies and accelerating actions. Ten Ocean Action Panels will guide collaborations, commitments and actions. The panels will cover the ten targets under SDG 14, including mobilizing finance, restoring coastal ecosystems, increasing scientific cooperation, preventing and reducing marine pollution and leveraging ocean, climate and biodiversity interlinkages. 

Momentum heading into the conference has already picked up with Chile and France announcing the 100% Alliance, urging coastal and ocean states to commit to 100 per cent sustainable management of their national ocean areas. However, it will be up to the rest of the Member States in Nice to raise ambition. A successful conference would result in a final and signed political declaration to be called the Nice Ocean Action Plan.

For more information on the 2025 UN Oceans Conference, click here.