UN Ocean Conference 2025: Big Promises, Global Funding, and the Push for Ocean Protection

UNOC 2025 brought major headlines in ocean conservation—from billions pledged to protect biodiversity, to significant movement on the High Seas Treaty. In this episode, Andrew Lewin returns from the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, with a firsthand account of what was announced, what was promised, and what might actually happen.

Ocean finance was a hot topic this year. Governments, development banks, and private investors pledged record-breaking funding to tackle everything from plastic pollution to marine ecosystem restoration. But Andrew dives into why these billions still fall short—and which key ocean players stepped up (and who didn’t).

High Seas Treaty ratification took center stage, with 18 new countries signing on and momentum building fast. The episode also breaks down 30x30 targets, new marine protected areas—including a massive one in French Polynesia—and growing global support for a deep-sea mining moratorium. Andrew adds his personal observations and concerns about whether this enthusiasm will translate into real protection for the ocean.

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