The 2025 UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, opened today, June 9, 2025, in Nice, France. It aims to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14) and build on previous UN Ocean Conferences.
The Ocean Is a Lifeline for the Poor
Over 3 billion people depend on the ocean for food, jobs, and survival—many of them in poor coastal communities.
Small-scale fishers, often living in poverty, rely on healthy oceans for their daily bread. Pollution, overfishing, and climate change are destroying their livelihoods.
The Ocean Regulates the Climate
Oceans absorb 90% of the planet’s excess heat and 25% of CO₂ emissions.
Climate change—driven by ocean degradation—leads to rising sea levels, more extreme weather, and loss of crops and homes, hitting the most vulnerable first and hardest.
Biodiversity Loss- Food Insecurity
Coral reefs and marine ecosystems are dying, threatening marine life and the food chain.
When fish stocks collapse, it’s not large companies that go hungry, it’s the poor.
Environmental Justice
The poor contribute least to ocean pollution and global warming but suffer most from its effects.
The conference is a moment to demand justice: that wealthy nations take responsibility and support vulnerable communities.
A Place for Faith and Advocacy
As people of faith, especially in the Vincentian tradition, we hear “the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor” (Pope Francis).
This conference is a space to lift up moral voices, urging bold action to protect creation and prioritize the poor.
Why It Matters for Us as Daughters of Charity and NGO Reps
Our mission is to defend the dignity and rights of the poorest, and today, that includes ecological justice. Our advocacy at the UN helps ensure decisions at high levels reflect the real needs of poor communities across the world—from Amazonian rivers to African coastlines to island nations in danger.