UN Warns of Lawless Seabed Plunder, Calls for Ocean Protection

NICE: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres emphasized on Monday that we must not allow the deep oceans to become the “wild west” during the global summit focused on marine issues taking place in France.

Leaders from around the world are gathering at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, where heated discussions are occurring over regulations for seabed mining to extract essential minerals and a global treaty aimed at tackling plastic pollution.

Former President Donald Trump has intensified the conversation surrounding deep-sea mining by accelerating U.S. exploration in international waters, while avoiding international efforts to set regulations for this emerging industry.

The International Seabed Authority, which oversees ocean floor activities beyond national jurisdiction, plans to meet in July to create a global mining code for deep-sea extraction.

Guterres expressed his support for these discussions and called for careful consideration as nations explore these “new territories” of seabed mining. “The deep sea cannot become the wild west,” he stated, receiving applause from attendees.

Many nations are against seabed mining, and France hopes to gain more supporters for a moratorium until its ecological effects are better understood.

French President Emmanuel Macron declared a moratorium on deep-sea mining as “an international necessity.” He remarked, “It’s madness to initiate exploitative economic activities that could devastate the deep seabed and its biodiversity—especially when we know so little about it.” He emphasized that regions like the deep sea, Greenland, and Antarctica are “not for sale,” garnering loud applause.

Surge of Commitments

Macron mentioned that a global accord designed to safeguard marine life in international waters had garnered sufficient support to be enacted and is “a done deal.” He did not provide a timeline for its implementation.

This agreement, finalized in 2023, needed the ratification of 60 signatory countries to become effective. Macron announced that this goal has been achieved, allowing for the high seas treaty to take effect.

Additional commitments for ocean conservation are anticipated on Monday in Nice, where approximately 60 heads of state, alongside thousands of business leaders, scientists, and civil society representatives, will participate.

On Monday, the United Kingdom is expected to unveil a partial ban on bottom trawling in its marine protected areas, placing this destructive fishing practice squarely in the spotlight of the summit.

Bottom trawling involves dragging enormous fishing nets across the ocean floor, indiscriminately capturing everything in their path—a procedure vividly depicted in a recent documentary by British naturalist David Attenborough.

Greenpeace welcomed the UK’s announcement regarding bottom trawling but criticized it as “long overdue.”

Turning Words into Action

Macron stated that a global pact to protect marine ecosystems in international waters has received enough backing to become law, confirming it as “a done deal.”

The High Seas Treaty of 2023 requires 60 ratifications from signatory nations before it can be enforced—a target France aimed to meet prior to the Nice conference.

Macron noted that around 50 nations have ratified the treaty, with 15 more committed to joining, indicating that “the high seas treaty will now be implemented.”

Expectations for additional commitments to emerge on Monday will include organizations like small island states that will advocate for financial and political support to address concerns such as rising sea levels, marine debris, and overfishing.

While the summit may not lead to binding agreements like those often reached at climate conferences, observers suggest that it could serve as a critical moment for advancing global ocean conservation efforts if world leaders step up.

“We urge you, if you’re serious about ocean protection, show us,” said Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr., representing a vulnerable Pacific island nation.