Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3)

Current Context: The third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) was held in Nice, France, from June 9 to June 13, 2025, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.

The conference focused on accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14).
Chairperson: Emmanuel Macron, President of France, led the conference proceedings.
Theme: "Accelerating Action and Mobilizing All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean."

Key Highlights:

Nice Ocean Action Plan: Over 170 countries adopted the declaration "Our Ocean, Our Future: United for Urgent Action", committing to marine protection, pollution reduction, and financial aid for coastal nations.
High Seas Treaty Progress: 19 new ratifications brought the total to 51, moving closer to the 60 needed for enforcement.
Blue Economy Initiatives: The EU launched a €1 billion Ocean Pact, while French Polynesia committed to the world’s largest marine protected area (5 million sq. km).
Plastic Pollution Action: 95 countries backed France’s initiative to limit plastic production and consumption, ahead of global treaty negotiations in Geneva.
India’s Leadership: India unveiled its Deep-Sea Mission, marine plastic clean-up efforts, and the ‘SAHAV’ digital ocean data portal, reinforcing its role in global marine governance.

Question:

Q.1 Where was the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) held in June 2025?
a) Nice, France
b) Geneva, Switzerland
c) Lisbon, Portugal
d) Nairobi, Kenya

Answer: a) The third edition of the UN Ocean Conference was held in Nice, France from June 9 to June 13, 2025. France co-hosted the event with Costa Rica.