The United Nations Ocean Conference, scheduled from June 9 to 13 in Nice, is set to be one of the most crucial environmental summits of 2025. We spoke with Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, Special Envoy of the French President to this global event.
About Olivier Poivre d’Arvor
Olivier Poivre d’Arvor is a writer and diplomat, serving as France’s Ambassador for the Poles and Maritime Issues at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
With representatives from 167 countries expected to attend the third UN Ocean Conference in June, France, through its Special Envoy Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, is urgently calling for the ratification of the International Treaty for the Protection of the High Seas.
Protecting Marine Ecosystems
Adopted in 2023 after years of negotiations, the treaty aims to safeguard marine ecosystems from pollution and establishes the creation of marine protected areas where activities such as fishing or mining would be restricted. However, two years on, only 21 countries have ratified the treaty.
On the French side, President Emmanuel Macron announced in late March that new marine protected areas will be designated and protections for existing ones strengthened. The ocean plays a critical role as a « carbon sink, » according to CNRS, capable of absorbing nearly 30% of human-produced CO2 emissions.
So, what can we expect from the Nice summit?
