Almost unnoticed, but crucial, is the holding this week of the Third UN Ocean Summit.
It often happens that the global information maelstrom renders events of great relevance to our present and future almost invisible. Thus, while we focus our attention only on the latest outburst by the US president, or on the judicial disputes in polarised national politics, a key international meeting is being held in Nice (France) these very days which, precisely because it takes place in the Canary Islands, should be of particular concern to us: the Third United Nations Ocean Summit.
Co-organised by France and Costa Rica, it has brought together nearly 70 world leaders, scientists and environmental advocates with the aim of accelerating global action to increase the protection and conservation of the oceans. Let's take a brief look at why this is pressing: the oceans cover more than 70% of our planet and according to the United Nations support more than three billion people.
Marine pollution, overfishing and impacts linked to climate change (rising sea temperatures, water acidification and sea level rise) threaten both marine biodiversity and all coastal communities that rely on the sea and oceans for their livelihoods. Scientists have warned in recent years that more than half of all marine species are at risk of extinction this century.
Protecting the ocean is also essential to avoid worsening the climate: they act as a gigantic carbon sink.
I liked a phrase from the UN Secretary General at this summit: the great enemy of the oceans is greed. The greed of companies and countries that allow (and here we must raise our voices and remember that not everything possible is being done to stop it) illegal fishing, the excessive accumulation of plastic in the sea or illegal dumping of fuel, for example.
As far as I am concerned, it goes without saying that this summit, known by its acronym UNOC3, is of particular relevance for both the Canary Islands and Africa. With regard to the Canary Islands, it is only worth remembering that for many years, under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Spain has been responsible for the control and management of an immense sheet of sea that starts in our archipelago and heads southwards, in which we are responsible not only for the maritime rescue of people who board a cayuco but also for any marine pollution that may occur.
As for Africa, our neighbouring continent's blue economy, which includes activities such as fishing, aquaculture and shipping, is valued at up to 450 billion dollars a year. It is estimated that by 2050 it could exceed $1.5 billion, making it a key driver for achieving the goals of the African Union's Agenda 2063.
These aquatic resources already provide employment for almost 50 million people on the continent, and that number is expected to rise to 85 million by 2035. Among them, some 13.5 million are artisanal fishers and fish farmers, who are key to ensuring food security across the continent.
And despite the enormous potential of Africa's oceans and inland waters, this has yet to be fully realised. These ecosystems face many threats, including overfishing, poor management, rapid population growth in coastal areas, habitat degradation and pollution.
A serious problem is illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which costs countries like Nigeria more than 70 million dollars a year. Looking at the migration phenomenon in our country, one only has to look at the number of Senegalese fishermen who have boarded a cayuco in the absence of opportunities in waters that only a few years ago ensured their survival.
African leaders have come to this summit with the message that urgent action, innovative financing and stronger governance are needed. No more studies, no more pompous declarations: action is needed from multilateral institutions.
Precisely, one of the central themes of the UNOC3 is the push for the ratification of the so-called High Seas Treaty, officially known as the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). This treaty, adopted in 2023, represents a historic milestone by establishing for the first time a legal framework to protect marine areas in international waters, which cover almost two-thirds of the global ocean and have so far lacked effective governance.
The High Seas Treaty is key to achieving the global goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 ("30×30"). Among its most relevant provisions are the creation of marine protected areas in the high seas or the obligation to carry out environmental impact assessments for activities in the high seas that may damage biodiversity.
During the opening day of UNOC3 on Monday, 9 June, 18 countries ratified the Treaty, bringing the total to 49 ratifications, just 11 short of the 60 needed for it to enter into force. Countries such as Belgium, Denmark and neighbouring Mauritania and Guinea Bissau gave their assent. Much remains to be done, as there are still many countries that have pledged to sign but have not yet ratified.
One of the issues that is hanging over the summit is that of underwater mining. Rare earths and strategic minerals that could be found underwater. The Treaty seeks to put that in order. Spain, among others, is in favour of a "precautionary moratorium", which is supported by some thirty countries. Some countries do not intend to sign the treaty because they do not want to be restricted in their search for minerals under water.
Because of this and its overall position, I think we should be proud that Spain is not only complying, but is playing an active role in UNOC3, exercising (from a country with so much sea) leadership in the protection of the oceans. The Prime Minister himself, Pedro Sánchez, was at the opening of the Summit in Nice, where our country announced the declaration of two new large Special Protection Areas for Birds (SPAs) in the Canary Islands, as well as the proposal to incorporate new Sites of Community Interest (SCIs), which will protect more than 3.1 million hectares of marine ecosystems.
In addition, an ambitious roadmap has been presented that foresees the approval of more than 40 management plans for marine protected areas in the next 12 months, a key step to ensure effective conservation. With the incorporation of five new areas into the Natura 2000 Network and the promotion of initiatives such as the declaration of the Mar de las Calmas National Park (El Hierro), Spain will reach 25.7 % of marine protected area, approaching the target of 30 % set for 2030.
UNOC3 in Nice is not just another conference. It is a crucial moment for the survival of the Earth. The health of the oceans is inseparable from our very existence. The urgency is paramount, and the task titanic. Let us not forget that 90% of the world's freight is transported by sea. There are now container ships capable of carrying up to 24,000 TEUs (the MSC Irina). And that has a huge impact on the oceans. That is why, because the global economy also depends on the stability and health of the oceans, this is so important.
Transforming the potential of the blue economy into a sustainable reality, effectively protecting marine areas and achieving the ratification and implementation of the High Seas Treaty requires real political and financial commitment, overcoming inertia and greed. There remains one more step, which is also at stake these days in Nice, and that is for the Oceans Summit to become a new Conference of the Parties (COP), specifically for this purpose, which would increase the ability to raise funding to achieve the goals. I have sometimes joked that our planet, in fairness to the proportion of measures, should be called planet water rather than planet earth. It is in all our interests to protect this environment.