UN Secretary-General Discusses Ocean Initiatives with EU Leaders
António Guterres participates in European Council meeting to address ocean conservation ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.
BRUSSELS – UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended a working lunch with EU leaders at the European Council in Brussels, focusing on multilateralism, international cooperation, and future initiatives for ocean conservation.
This meeting precedes the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, scheduled to take place in Nice, France, from June 9 to June 13, 2025.
The forthcoming conference will emphasize the theme: 'Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.' It aims to gather a diverse array of stakeholders, including governmental and non-governmental entities, the scientific community, the private sector, civil society organizations, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities, to discuss strategies for sustainable ocean use.
EU Council President António Costa highlighted the necessity of strengthening ties with the United Nations, especially in light of current global challenges, such as climate change, inequality, and the need to protect marine biodiversity.
The EU’s commitment to ocean conservation was reiterated by Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis during a meeting with the Parliament's ENVI Committee, which deals with environmental, climate, and food safety issues.
Kadis articulated the importance of coherence across various policy areas to enhance the effectiveness of ocean conservation efforts.
The European Commission is working towards ratifying the legislative framework for the UN Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement (BBNJ), which was signed by the EU in 2023. This is expected to occur before the June conference.
Additionally, Kadis is anticipated to unveil the European Ocean Pact by the end of spring, which will commit to balancing economic growth with sustainable ocean usage while ensuring policy coherence across the EU concerning maritime issues.
During the discussions, both President Costa and Secretary-General Guterres emphasized the importance of implementing the UN Pact for the Future.
This agreement prioritizes sustainability, international peace and security, technological innovation, and advancing equality across nations.
In response to queries about international cooperation in light of the United States' withdrawal from certain UN agreements, including the Paris Agreement on climate change, Secretary-General Guterres asserted that 'multilateralism is alive,' indicating the continued relevance of international collaboration as demonstrated by his participation with the European Union.
This meeting precedes the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, scheduled to take place in Nice, France, from June 9 to June 13, 2025.
The forthcoming conference will emphasize the theme: 'Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.' It aims to gather a diverse array of stakeholders, including governmental and non-governmental entities, the scientific community, the private sector, civil society organizations, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities, to discuss strategies for sustainable ocean use.
EU Council President António Costa highlighted the necessity of strengthening ties with the United Nations, especially in light of current global challenges, such as climate change, inequality, and the need to protect marine biodiversity.
The EU’s commitment to ocean conservation was reiterated by Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis during a meeting with the Parliament's ENVI Committee, which deals with environmental, climate, and food safety issues.
Kadis articulated the importance of coherence across various policy areas to enhance the effectiveness of ocean conservation efforts.
The European Commission is working towards ratifying the legislative framework for the UN Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement (BBNJ), which was signed by the EU in 2023. This is expected to occur before the June conference.
Additionally, Kadis is anticipated to unveil the European Ocean Pact by the end of spring, which will commit to balancing economic growth with sustainable ocean usage while ensuring policy coherence across the EU concerning maritime issues.
During the discussions, both President Costa and Secretary-General Guterres emphasized the importance of implementing the UN Pact for the Future.
This agreement prioritizes sustainability, international peace and security, technological innovation, and advancing equality across nations.
In response to queries about international cooperation in light of the United States' withdrawal from certain UN agreements, including the Paris Agreement on climate change, Secretary-General Guterres asserted that 'multilateralism is alive,' indicating the continued relevance of international collaboration as demonstrated by his participation with the European Union.
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