The United Nations has warned that the Earth’s oceans are in a state of emergency. Global leaders convening in Nice are under increasing pressure to commit to adequate financial resources and adopt stronger protection measures for the oceans and the coastal communities that depend on them.

This UN Ocean Conference is seen as a critical effort to reverse the alarming decline in ocean health, especially as nations remain divided over contentious issues such as deep-sea mining, plastic waste, and overfishing—all against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions.