Nicosia: The need for international cooperation and regional synergies to promote marine protection was highlighted on Monday, during a panel discussion organised by the French Embassy in Nicosia, ahead of the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) that will be held in Nice next month.
According to Cyprus News Agency, French Ambassador in Cyprus, Cl©lia Chevrier Kolacko, emphasized the alarming rate at which oceans are deteriorating due to various factors such as plastic pollution, overfishing, and water acidification. She underscored the importance of collective and individual action to address these pressing issues, noting that over 8 million tons of plastic are discharged into the oceans annually, and overfishing affects more than a third of global fish stocks.
Chevrier Kolacko highlighted the goals of the upcoming UNOC3, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, which will convene 100 heads of state and government, along with thousands of scientists and stakeholders. The conference will tackle a wide range of ocean-related issues, including coastal protection, decarbonisation of the shipping industry, and adaptation to climate change.
The French Ambassador outlined the UNOC’s mission to protect oceans through concrete actions. The conference aims to achieve success in multilateral processes concerning the ocean, conserve marine resources sustainably, support the development of a sustainable blue economy, and enhance knowledge dissemination related to marine sciences for informed policy-making.
Chevrier Kolacko also mentioned that the conference would review progress on ocean protection commitments, such as the 30×30 ocean objective, which seeks to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. Currently, only 8% of oceans are protected. Cyprus will be represented at UNOC by President Nikos Christodoulides, and the EONIOS consortium will present their Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Swarm System project.
Antonia Theodosiou, Commissioner for Environment and Animal Welfare, addressed the panel, urging European countries to implement the 7th Protocol of the Barcelona Convention. She highlighted Cyprus’s potential leadership during its EU Presidency to focus on incentives for small island states affected by sea level rise and coastal erosion.
Daniel Hayes, Marine Sciences Research Director at Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, shared CMMI’s efforts to protect marine environments through research and expertise transfer. He discussed the EONIOS project’s role in coastal area restoration using artificial underwater reefs that encourage biodiversity.
Demetra Orthodoxou from Isotech pointed out Cyprus’s lag in meeting the 30% marine protected areas target, with only 18% currently designated. She noted the challenges in balancing environmental protection with social and economic factors, such as the fishing industry’s struggles.
Dr. Michael Grelaud from the Autonomous University of Barcelona highlighted the Mediterranean’s vulnerability to climate change and the accumulation of marine litter on Cypriot beaches. He stressed the importance of addressing these challenges through international cooperation and legislation.
The panel discussion underscored the significance of leveraging new technologies for better monitoring of marine ecosystems and data extraction to inform policy decisions. Raising awareness on marine protection and promoting ocean literacy in educational institutions were also emphasized.
The third UN Ocean Conference, co-chaired by France and Costa Rica, will take place in Nice from 9-13 June 2025, aiming to spur urgent action towards sustainable ocean conservation and resource use.