The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference or UNOC-3) was co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025.
The overarching theme of the Conference was “Accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”. The Conference aimed to support further and urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and identify further ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14. The Conference adopted, by consensus, a brief, concise, action-oriented and intergovernmentally agreed political declaration, which, along with a list of voluntary commitments, is referred to as “Nice Ocean Action Plan: “Our ocean, our future: United for urgent action”.
Further information is available at the following link: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025/about-unoc-2025
The ISC played an active role in UNOC-3 by contributing its expertise and drawing on its broad membership and networks to ensure that the latest scientific evidence, from both the natural and social sciences, informed the Conference’s discussions and outcomes.
Through its role as co-organising partner of the UN Scientific and Technological Community Major Group, the ISC convened the global scientific community in the Conference to ensure a strong and unified voice from the ocean science community throughout the preparatory process and at the Conference itself. Many of the ISC’s members and affiliated networks possess key expertise related to ocean knowledge and science-based solutions needed to accelerate progress toward the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean.
The ISC’s early engagement in the lead-up to UNOC-3 focused on mobilising its global membership and broader scientific community around key ocean sustainability themes. This included a dedicated session on Ocean Sustainability at the Global Knowledge Dialogue in Muscat. Moreover, the ISC, in collaboration with UNESCO, supported a scientific briefing organised by the Group of Friends on Science for Action – co-chaired by the Permanent Representatives of Belgium, India, and South Africa to the UN. Building on its engagement in the previous two UN Ocean Conferences, the Council continued to engage directly with Member States, the UN system, and other stakeholders, providing advice on science-relevant questions related to the implementation of SDG14.
To shape its contributions for UNOC-3, the ISC established a multidisciplinary ocean expert group in September 2024. The group was comprised of 12 experts from the ISC’s membership, ocean-related research bodies, and close scientific networks, spanning various disciplines across the natural and social sciences and representing different regions. The group was convened to prepare science-based contributions to inform the UNOC-3 Political Declaration and foster scientific engagement in the Conference and its programme, including through key inputs to the One Ocean Science Congress, held in the lead-up to UNOC-3.
The ISC also supported the registration of around 30 scientists to participate in the Conference. Moreover, Dr. Mia Strand, a member of the ISC ocean expert group, delivered a statement at the official Ocean Action Panel 2: “Increasing ocean-related scientific cooperation, knowledge, capacity building, marine technology and education to strengthen the science-policy interface for ocean health”.
Co-producing ocean actionable knowledge for transformative solutions and global cooperation
© International Science Council, 2025.
Ocean at a tipping point: Science-based priorities for UNOC-3
© International Science Council, 2025.
Written inputs to the Zero Draft of the Political Declaration
© International Science Council, 2025.
A PDF version of the Talent Book is also available, including details on those attending the Conference in person.
The UN treaty to end plastic pollution: robust science for success
Tuesday, 10 June | 12:30-14:00 CEST / 10:30-12:00 UTC
Location: Villefranche-sur-Mer Ocean Observatory (Green Zone)
Room: Auditorium Jules Barrois
In collaboration with registering organisation Sorbonne University and our organising partners, we invite you to join scientists, plastics experts, and policy-makers for two ‘fireside chats’ about how we can reduce, and ultimately eliminate, plastics pollution.
The need for a sustained and fit-for-purpose ocean observing system: From physics to socio-ecosystems
Tuesday, 10 June | 18:00-20:00 CEST / 16:00-18:00 UTC
Location: Villefranche-sur-Mer Ocean Observatory (Green Zone)
Registration for the event is required: Please register here before June 2 to secure your participation.
This high-level side event, aligned with the spirit of SDG 14, aims to foster dialogue on building a global, inclusive ocean observing system. We will explore how to better connect physical, ecological, and socio-economic observations, share data, and strengthen collaboration across disciplines and regions.
Navigating common waters: Ocean science diplomacy for a sustainable common future
Wednesday, 11 June | 13:30-15:00 CEST / 11:30-13:00 UTC
Location: University Côte d’Azur, Campus Saint Jean d’Angély
Room: Room 302, building SEA 3
This side event aims to explore to emerging field of ocean science diplomacy bringing together researchers, diplomats, practitioners and others operating on the science-policy nexus.
Bridging science, policy and action: Enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration for inclusive and equitable ocean management and governance
Friday, 13 June | 12:15-13:30 CEST / 10:15-11:30 UTC
Location: Port Lympia, Nice, Room 5 (Blue Zone)
This side event will explore how co-produced, transdisciplinary science and cross-sectoral ocean governance and cooperation, involving intergenerational and cross-scale multi-stakeholders, can drive effective conservation and sustainable use.
Bridging academia and action: Advancing partnerships for SDG 14, knowledge-sharing, and ocean literacy
Friday, 13 June | 14:00 CEST / 12:00 pm UTC
Online: register here.
As part of the official side events around the UN Ocean Conference 2025, the International Association of Universities (IAU), the University of Bergen, the University of the West Indies, the International Science Council and other partners organise an online event bringing together voices from higher education, science and other key partners for advancing SDG 14: Life Below Water.
One sustainable and equitable ocean
Saturday, 7 June | 16:30-20:00 CEST
University of Bergen
Location: On board the tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl, Port of Nice at Quai Riboty.
Registration for the event is required: Please register here before May 30 to secure your participation.
Oceans Apart, Oceans Together: How the Polar Oceans can unlock biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, and global ocean conservation
Monday, 9 June | 10:15-11:00 CEST
Location: Green Zone, Orca Room, Palais des expositions (La Baleine)
Register here to attend events held in La Baleine
Approaching an intelligent and inspiring ocean: New science-based actions for sustainable futures
Monday, 9 June | 10:30-11:45 CEST
Location: Room 1, Blue Zone
This side event, co-organised by the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), will spotlight cutting-edge marine science and technology supporting global ocean sustainability. It will showcase China’s innovations in ocean forecasting, big data fusion, and deep-sea digital twin systems, while promoting open ocean data sharing and intelligent services.
Ocean-based carbon dioxide removal: Approaches, risks, co-benefits, and governance
Monday, 9 June | 15:45-17:00 CEST
Location: Room 1, Blue Zone
This side event, co-organised by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), highlights global collaborative research on ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) and its relationship with the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean in line with SDG 14.
Bridge Ocean Science and End-users through Toolkit
Tuesday, 10 June | 10:30-11:45 CEST
Location: Blue Zone – ID 31, Room 1
The Future of Early-career Networks in Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Ocean Science
Tuesday, 10 June | 15:00-18:00 CEST
Reinventing the protection of marine sentinel species: from science, technology and policy to action
Wednesday, 11 June | 15:30-17:30 CEST
No Time to Waste: Tackling Submerged Munitions in European Seas
Wednesday, 11 June | 18:00 CEST
The event aims to highlight the urgent need for joint action and open dialogue concerning submerged munitions in the sea. It includes a panel discussion on ‘The Baltic Perspective: front-runner regional approaches to addressing a global threat’. ’Thematic islands’ will showcase best practices for marine munition research and remediation.
Integrated Ocean Carbon Research: A vision primed for implementation
Thursday, 12 June | 08:30-10:00 CEST
Location: On board Statsraad Lehmkuhl.
Ocean observing: Critical infrastructure for our ocean future
Thursday, 12 June | 13:30-15:00 CEST
Location: Statsraad Lehmkuhl Ship, Quai Riboty, Port of Nice.
This side event, co-organised by the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), explores how the ocean observing system must evolve as critical infrastructure for a safe and sustainable ocean future, and what partnerships can make this possible
Registration for the event is required: Please register here before June 4 to secure your participation.
Operationalising the Surface Ocean Carbon Value Chain From Science to Solutions: Advancing the Ocean Carbon System for Climate Action
Thursday, 12 June | 14:00-16:00 CEST
This UN Ocean Decade side event, hosted jointly by ICOS, JPI Oceans and Ocean Frontier Institute, builds on the 2023 Ostend Declaration to connect scientific progress with the systems needed to support it – governance, funding, innovation, and collaboration.
The Ocean and Planetary Boundaries: Unlocking a ar Vision for the Earth’s Future
Thursday, 12 June | 17:30-18:45 CEST
The ISC’s global network generates vital knowledge, reports, and tools to advance ocean science and inform decision-making. For a more comprehensive overview of ocean-related resources from ISC members and broad scientific networks, visit our Ocean theme page. You will also find there:
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