Nice Ocean Summit Closes With Calls to Pause Deep-Sea Mining
UN Ocean Conference • United NationsJuly 20, 2026
Locunity is an independent informational service and is not an official government page for this commission. All information is sourced from public footage and an analysis of official agendas with the aid of responsible, fact-checked AI. to report an error or omission.
The Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) wrapped up in Nice, France, with ten Ocean Action Sessions reporting a common agenda: protect 30% of the ocean, ratify the High Seas Treaty and slow the rush toward deep-sea mining. The closing plenary took no formal votes. Instead, it compiled recommendations from science, finance and policy tracks that will feed into the Nice Ocean Commitment and frame negotiations through UNOC4 in 2028.
- Several delegations called for a voluntary moratorium on deep-sea mining, backed by scientists urging caution.
- High Seas Treaty push: delegates urged ratification to reach the 60-country threshold.
- Over 1,000 scientists issued three imperatives, including a fossil fuel subsidy phase-out.
- €9 billion in new blue finance commitments, plus a 20-bank investment coalition.
- $1.5 billion vs. $175 billion: the ocean funding gap still dwarfs new pledges.
- 450 coastal-city mayors joined a new Coastal Cities Coalition, Nice's mayor said.
Why it matters: The Ocean Action Sessions produced the conference's substantive recommendations. They will shape national negotiating positions on seabed mining, plastics, fisheries subsidies and shipping emissions for years.
Get reports in your inbox
Follow this commission for free and get the next report delivered by email. You'll be able to access the full archive, get real-time updates, and track the topics or keywords you care about most.