UNOC3 Adopts Ocean Action Declaration, BBNJ Treaty Nears Historic Entry Into Force

The Third United Nations Ocean Conference closed in Nice with near-universal consensus on a sweeping political declaration charting ocean action through 2030 — and a landmark announcement that the High Seas Treaty is now just 10 ratifications away from becoming binding international law. Chile and South Korea confirmed they will co-host the fourth conference in 2028, the last before the SDG deadline.

• BBNJ High Seas Treaty hits 51 ratifications after 19 new sign-ons in Nice; only 10 more needed for entry into force
• Political declaration adopted by consensus; Russia breaks ranks on BBNJ paragraph, calling the treaty "unacceptable"
• Chile and Republic of Korea announce co-hosting of UNOC4 in 2028, the final ocean conference before 2030
• Deep-sea mining pause coalition grows to 37 states, blocking exploitation without a regulatory framework
• 96 countries sign NICE commitment for an ambitious global plastics treaty; negotiations resume in Geneva in August
• $100 billion, 10-year fund announced for developing countries alongside maritime decarbonization pledges

Why it matters: Entry into force of the BBNJ agreement would create the first binding legal framework for marine conservation and benefit-sharing on nearly half the planet's surface — the high seas beyond any nation's jurisdiction.