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30 | STRENGTHENING OCEAN GOVERNANCE - UNOC 2025

ADVOCACY
Let's Be Nice

to the Ocean

What if protecting the ocean became the norm

rather than the exception? The Let’s Be Nice to
the Ocean initiative convened experts and long-
standing ocean advocates to brainstorm ways

to preserve and restore the health of our seas

in preparation for the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC),
scheduled to take place in Nice in June 2025.

This round-table discussion held in the Novotel’s Moderated by Rémi Parmentier, coordinator of the
conference room on Wednesday 20 March 2024 Let’s Be Nice to the Ocean initiative and Director of the
focused on the proposals put forward in the ‘Let’s Varda Group, and Loreley Picourt, Executive Director
Be Nice to the Ocean’ report, published in November of the Ocean & Climate Platform, the discussion
2023 on a digital platform of the same name. covered a wide range of topics linked to the ocean
Participants were also invited to examine civil society Protection Principle, a paradigm shift presented in the
initiatives and outreach opportunities, and identify report.
the next steps on the road to UNOC 2025. The key
question was: how can we create a more mindful André Abreu of the Tara Ocean Foundation stressed
world that takes greater care of the ocean? the importance of the work accomplished since
the Rio+20 Summit in 2012, which has created a
“Making ocean protection the norm rather than the more fertile space for ocean and climate protection.
exception is very much in line with what we are Nevertheless, he cautioned, “more funding and inputs
trying to achieve”, declared Olivier Wenden, Vice- are needed for the proposed transformation and for
President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco innovative science to support new ocean governance
Foundation, in his opening speech. He reaffirmed the models”.
Foundation’s commitment to protecting the ocean
and called for a bold and innovative approach to
addressing the current challenges.