Yachting Art Magazine

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) in Nice, 95 countries signed a joint declaration calling for an ambitious international treaty against plastic pollution. This unprecedented diplomatic mobilisation aims to stem the tide of a scourge that threatens ecosystems, human health and the climate balance.

Under the azure sky, the third United Nations Ocean Conference reached a turning point. On 10 June 2025, in Nice, 95 nations joined forces to affirm their commitment to ending plastic pollution. Faced with pollution that is turning the seas into open-air dumps, the ‘Nice Appeal’ aims to lay the groundwork for a binding global agreement. This response is commensurate with the ecological and health emergency, as well as the demands of civil society and researchers.

Every year, some 460 million tonnes of plastic leave factories. And according to projections, this figure could triple by 2060 if nothing is done. The ocean — the primary regulator of the climate and a refuge for immense biodiversity — is becoming the first victim of this drift. The appeal launched in Nice by the signatories therefore sounds like a wake-up call, but also a determined commitment to change course.

This collective declaration, following on from Resolution 5/14 adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly, is based on five key pillars. The first sets a global target for reducing the production and consumption of virgin plastics. Second, it calls for a phase-out of problematic plastic products and harmful chemicals, supported by the development of a global reference list. Third, plastic products must be redesigned to make them safer and more durable. A robust financing mechanism is also recommended to ensure the effectiveness of the future treaty.

Finally, the signatories advocate an evolving legal framework capable of adapting to new scientific knowledge. ‘We must tackle the root of the problem,’ insists Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister for Ecological Transition. Alongside her, Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, stresses the urgent need to protect our seas. ‘The Mediterranean is suffocating under plastic waste. We need a global response that is commensurate with the danger. The Nice Appeal reflects this collective will.’ Barbara Pompili, Ambassador for the Environment, emphasises the importance of the momentum that has been built up. 

With negotiations set to resume in Geneva in a few weeks' time, she sees this declaration as a sign of hope. ‘We are showing that an international response is possible, that ambition is no longer the preserve of a few, but the driving force behind a growing consensus.’

The momentum generated in Nice is part of a series of negotiations that began in 2022. Since the adoption of the founding resolution by the United Nations Environment Assembly, five discussion sessions have already taken place — from Punta del Este to Busan, Paris and Nairobi. The next step, session CIN-5.2, will take place in Geneva from 5 to 14 August 2025. It will be decisive for the outcome of the treaty.

France, which will host the second round of negotiations in 2023, continues to play a leading role in this process. Like the European Union, it is campaigning for an agreement that covers the entire life cycle of plastics: from design to consumption and disposal. This principle of circularity, backed by binding mechanisms, is at the heart of the vision defended by the signatories of the Nice Appeal.

Far from being a mere declaration of intent, this statement reflects a shift in thinking. It expresses the desire to move away from a linear, disposable production model and build a resilient future. The voice of the 95 countries gathered in Nice could well carry weight in the Geneva negotiations. In the meantime, a new international dynamic is already taking shape on the shores of the Mediterranean.