Urgent Call to Protect Oceans at Costa Rica Forum

Authorities, scientists and international experts agreed on the need to act without delay in protecting the oceans, during a forum in Costa Rica in preparation for the crucial UN meeting in 2025 in France.

"Protecting the ocean and the sustainable use of marine resources is not an option but an imperative," said UN Deputy Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua at the opening of the "Immersed in Change" meeting.

The Central American country is hosting this meeting as it co-organizes with France the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), scheduled for June 2025 in the city of Nice.

The President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves, host of the forum, highlighted that the most important debate during the two days of meetings in San José is to see the state of health of the ocean and share good practices and experiences to replicate among the more than 40 invited countries, NGOs and academics.

"If we don't act now, we would be taking away the future from humanity as a generation. That is the fundamental diagnosis. We must act now with commitment, not just nice words, but action," the president said at a press conference.

This forum will address issues of governance, global warming, fishing or marine biodiversity to aid decision-making in France.

The participants will debate the ocean's capacity to absorb CO2, the need for sustainable fishing to allow population recovery, and the fight against water pollution.

Fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established in 2015 by the UN, ratifying the High Seas Protection Treaty signed in 2023 by more than 70 countries, and stopping the possible seabed mining is essential, authorities said.

Costa Rica proposed signing a "Declaration of Peace" with the ocean at the end of the forum.