UN Ocean Conference in Nice
In Nice, 130 countries are looking at how to protect the oceans - from plastic waste, for example. Environment Minister Schneider: Germany is driving forward global marine protection.
Nice (dpa) – The third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) opened on Monday in Nice. French President Emmanuel Macron called for decisive action to protect the oceans, stating at the opening: “We need swift action – not backtracking.”
Delegates from around 130 countries are taking part in the conference, which runs until Friday – including around 40 heads of state and government. Key topics include the fight against plastic pollution, marine protected areas in the high seas and the controversial extraction of raw materials from the deep sea.
Germany is represented by Environment Minister Carsten Schneider. “Germany can inspire others with good ideas and commitment to global ocean protection. This conference is an excellent opportunity to do just that,” Schneider said.
The event is expected to conclude with the “Nice Action Plan” – a framework compiling voluntary commitments to be undertaken by the participating countries. Germany intends to contribute pledges focusing on the protection of the North and Baltic Seas, with a particular emphasis on the recovery and disposal of legacy munitions from German waters.