Ocean well-being requires collective action

In his keynote speech delivered via video link at the Leaders' Summit of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2021, President Xi Jinping stressed the need for the international community to enhance cooperation, build consensus and pool strength to build a community of all life on Earth.

Emphasizing how crucial it is for people to coexist in harmony with nature, he pointed out that when we take care to protect nature, nature rewards us generously. But when we ruthlessly exploit nature, it punishes us without mercy. That is particularly pertinent to the oceans which not only bond humanity together, but also offer seemingly inexhaustible treasures to us, including sustainable energy, trade routes, abundant resources, and endless scientific knowledge.

Ocean conservation today faces multifaceted challenges and hurdles ranging from the lack of a global governance framework to insufficient funding. Just 2.7 percent of the ocean is effectively protected from destructive activities such as industrial fishing and deep-sea mining — far below the goal of 30 percent by 2030.

Bottom trawling is heavily subsidized despite releasing carbon dioxide and destroying the marine ecosystems. Coastal nations control 30 percent of the ocean territory but receive little climate finance or investment. Not to mention that issues such as plastic pollution, overfishing, and ecosystem degradation and destruction, all closely linked to climate change, pose a serious threat to the sustainability of the oceans.

According to scientists from the One Ocean Science Congress, rising ocean temperatures, acidification, and oxygen loss are undermining the ocean's ability to regulate the climate. These environmental shifts, together with rising sea levels, pose a serious threat to global infrastructure and life on Earth.

Hence, the ongoing high-level United Nations Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica in Nice, France, stands as a pivotal platform for advocating further and urgent actions to conserve and sustainably utilize the world's oceans, seas, and marine resources in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.

With the overarching theme of "Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean", the meeting convenes a diverse array of stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, NGOs, academic institutions, Indigenous peoples, and the private sector, to assess the challenges, opportunities, and progress related to the SDG.

At the heart of the conference is the push to secure the 60 ratifications needed to bring into force the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, known as the "BBNJ Agreement".

Adopted in 2023, the treaty aims to safeguard marine ecosystems in international waters. So far, only 32 countries have ratified it, and the deadline for reaching the 60-country threshold is Sept 20, 2025. It would mark a significant step forward in protecting biodiversity in the ocean, if the treaty can take effect.

The second objective targets the prohibition of harmful fisheries subsidies, widely seen as a major driver of global fish stock depletion. While the World Trade Organization adopted an agreement on this issue in June 2022, it still requires formal ratification by two-thirds of its members, or 111 countries, with 101 having done so to date. The third major aim of UNOC3 focuses on achieving the "30x30" goal, the commitment to protect 30 percent of the oceans by 2030. Currently, only around 8 percent of marine areas enjoy some form of protection.

Needless to say, fulfilling these daunting tasks needs broader global consensus and stronger political will to act swiftly.

As the world approaches the 2030 deadline for achieving the biodiversity targets, China's achievements in environmental conservation underscore the transformative potential of proactive environmental stewardship and collective action guided by sound policies and scientific principles. Through its unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, China has set an example, showing that the harmonious balance between human development and ecological preservation that is essential for a thriving planet is achievable.