What is the UN Ocean Conference?

Hosted in Nice, France, between 9-13th June, the UN Ocean Conference will bring together world leaders, scientists, communities and charities like the Marine Conservation Society to find faster ways to protect our ocean.

Our ocean is a powerhouse. It’s our biggest natural ally against climate change, a source of health and wellbeing for millions, and a cornerstone of global economies.

However, our ocean is under threat. With pollution like forever chemicals and plastics choking our seas, climate change warming our ocean, and overfishing harming delicate marine ecosystems, the UN Ocean Conference is a chance for the global community to take real action before it’s too late.

We will be there to be your voice at the UN Ocean Conference. We will be speaking up for our seas, and the people and communities that depend on them.

1. Push for the ratification of the High Seas Treaty

The High Seas Treaty is a UN international agreement that, once it enters into force, will protect two-thirds of the world’s ocean - the high seas - from threats like overfishing, damaging shipping activities and exploration activities like deep sea mining.

For the High Seas Treaty to enter into force, 60 countries need to formally ratify the Treaty. Until this has happened, the High Seas Treaty will not be able to protect marine species and unique ecosystems.

The UK Government has a big opportunity to lead from the front to ratify the Treaty quickly and encourage other countries across the world to do the same. Our CEO, Sandy Luk, has written to the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, calling for the UK to urgently ratify the High Seas Treaty. You can support us in this by using our template letter to write to your constituency MP urging them to encourage the UK Government to ratify the High Seas Treaty.

The Marine Conservation Society will be keeping up the pressure on UK Government Ministers during the UN Ocean Conference.

2. Stopping forever chemicals

3. Amplifying marine conservation work in the UK Overseas Territories

The UK Overseas Territories are stewards of the fifth largest marine estate in the world, covering 6.8 million km2 of ocean. They are home to over 94% of the UK’s unique biodiversity, including endemic species like the Cayman Islands' parrotfish and the Falkland Islands' rockhopper penguin, and fragile carbon-rich coral reefs and seagrass that are home to threatened species like turtles and sharks.

We have helped to facilitate a virtual event focused on the impact of embedding local knowledge within marine conservation projects in the Caribbean UK Overseas Territories.

4. Building Ocean Literacy through Community Engagement

Ocean conservation begins on land. We work with communities across the UK to grow their ocean literacy - helping them to understand the ocean’s influence on them and theirs on the ocean, so that we can all help to take care of it.

We are supporting two in-person events at the UN Ocean Conference focused on the power of ocean literacy.

The first step to protect our ocean is to get the High Seas Treaty signed with your help.

Add your voice and press your local MP for robust ocean protections.