### The Nice summit: an opportunity for mobilization for ocean protection
The high-level summit on ocean conservation, opened in Nice on Monday by the French president Emmanuel Macron and co-chaired with the Costa Rica, is part of a delicate global context. While environmental issues are becoming more and more pressing, leaders around the world are faced with the need to translate their promises to protect the ocean into concrete actions. This type of meeting highlights the growing awareness of the dangers facing our oceans, while offering a platform to consider solutions.
### The crucial ocean issues
The oceans play a vital role in the regulation of our climate and the supply of resources that support life on earth. According to alarming statistics, the oceans generate 50 % of the oxygen that we breathe and absorb around 30 % of carbon dioxide emissions. However, only 8 % of global waters are designated as protected sea zones (ZMP), and it is estimated that less than 3 % of the ocean is really safe from extractive and destructive activities.
This critical situation has led experts and conservation organizations, such as Oceana UK, to alert to the fact that protected marine areas represent essential ecosystems, not only for biodiversity, but also for the subsistence of coastal communities around the world. Hugo Tagholm sums up this necessity well by stressing that these areas are truly “hotspots” of biodiversity.
### A global response to the emergency
The summit emphasizes strategic priorities, one of the most pressing of which is to increase the number of ratifications of the International Water Treaty, recently adopted. This treaty aims to allow, for the first time, the nations to establish marine areas protected in international waters, which cover almost two thirds of the ocean and are mainly unregulated. Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance, insists that there is currently no legislation allowing this ambition and that it is imperative to act in favor of marine biodiversity to respond to the current climate crisis.
The Nice meeting brings together around 60 heads of state and government, by calling for the generation of concrete ideas and funding to deal with the “emergency” marine. All this takes place in a framework where the participation of the United States remains uncertain, a factor that could influence the dynamism of discussions and commitments.
### The need for a global approach
The success of discussions will depend not only on verbal commitments but also the ability to implement the proposed ideas. The creation of an action plan, such as the Nice Ocean Action Plan, aims to be a declaration of voluntary compromise to be adopted by consensus. However, the implementation of these commitments will require rigorous monitoring and transnational collaboration.
The approach to deal with these issues is not only a question of legislation, but also awareness and education. The world’s population needs to understand the importance of the oceans and the efforts necessary to protect them. This type of mobilization could, in the long term, encourage local and international actors to engage more.
### to a lasting vision
The future of the oceans is based on our collective capacity to act. The discussions will be held during the week in Nice represent a precious opportunity for decision -makers to cross a decisive course. This arouses many questions: are we ready to combine our efforts for effective ocean protection? What concrete measures can we adopt to ensure that the promises made do not remain a dead letter?
The world is at a turning point in marine conservation. Our decisions and actions today will determine the health of our oceans for future generations. A reassessment of our methods and strategies is essential, but with a strong commitment, it is possible to redefine our relationship with the seas and oceans. By kissing this responsibility together, we can consider a future where the oceans are not only preserved, but also revitalized.