The Mediterranean at the UN Ocean Conference 2025: Driving regional solutions for global ocean action
The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN Med) along with IUCN Members from the Mediterranean region bring Mediterranean perspectives and partnerships to UNOC 3 through nine official and associated events.

The Mediterranean at UNOC 3
The Mediterranean at the UN Ocean Conference 2025: Driving regional solutions for global ocean action
From 3 to 13 June 2025, the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) convenes in Nice, France, under the theme “Accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.” Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica during the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), UNOC 3 marks a critical milestone following key global agreements - the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the new High Seas Treaty on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), and ongoing international negotiations on plastic pollution. IUCN’s global delegation is actively participating in plenary sessions, policy dialogues and official and associated events to help shape the future of our shared ocean: IUCN programme at UNOC 3.
IUCN Med at UNOC 3: Highlighting Mediterranean Leadership
The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN Med) along with IUCN Members from the Mediterranean region bring Mediterranean perspectives and partnerships to UNOC 3 through nine official and associated events. These events underscore innovative financing, science-based conservation, governance, and the role of natural heritage in sustainable coastal development.
Importantly, 10 June will be celebrated as Mediterranean Day at UNOC 3, spotlighting the region’s biodiversity, governance frameworks, and innovative responses to climate and environmental pressures.
Here’s where you can find IUCN Med throughout the conference:
🌊 9 June | Shaping Blue Tourism: Inclusive, Resilient, and Regenerative Practices
Venue: West End Nice Hotel
Organisers: IDDRI, GIZ, FFEM, Nairobi Convention, and others
Contribution: Presenting the Blue Tourism Initiative, advocating for inclusive, sustainable coastal tourism grounded in ecosystem values and community needs.
🌊9 June | From Science to Solutions: Advancing Bycatch Mitigation in the Mediterranean
Venue: “The Ocean that Feeds Us” Pavilion, Green Zone
Organisers: GFCM and partners
Contribution: Presentation and discussions on regional solutions to reduce bycatch and its impact on biodiversity.
🌊10 June | The MedFund: An Innovative Financial Mechanism for Marine Conservation
Venue: Blue Zone, Room 3
Organiser: The MedFund
Contribution: Maher Mahjoub, IUCN Med director, will co-present with MedPAN the strategy to sustainable financing for marine protected areas (MPAs), with opening remarks by Prince Albert II.
🌊10 June | Bridging Natural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism
Venue: Green Zone (La Baleine)
Organisers: Région Sud and Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur
Contribution: IUCN Med will be promoting the progress from different EU projects: Dialogue4Nature, GreenList4MMPAs y NaTour4CChange within the Natural Heritage Mission.
🌊11 June | ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative II: A Crucial Commitment for Marine Mammal Protection
Venue: Théâtre de la Cité
Organiser: ACCOBAMS
Contribution: IUCN Med director will deliver a statement on IUCN Med’s commitment to marine mammal conservation in the Mediterranean, highlighting contributions to the re-assessment of the IUCN Red List for cetacean species in the ACCOBAMS Area.
🌊11 June | Natural Heritage Mission: Scaling Up Posidonia Conservation
Venue: Beyond Borders Pavilion, Green Zone
Organiser: Mediterranean Posidonia Network, Natural Heritage Mission, OFB, ARTEMIS Project.
Contribution: IUCN Med will present the Blue Carbon Strategy for the Mediterranean
🌊11 June | Pelagos: Un Sanctuaire d’Exception, Une Dynamique Collective
Venue: Palais des Rois Sardes
Organiser: Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco
Contribution: IUCN Med delivers opening remarks and signs support on behalf of IUCN Med.
🌊11 June | Working Together for Effective MPAs: The Mediterranean as a Hope Spot for Change
Venue: Startup Reef Pavilion, Green Zone
Organiser: Together for the Med, Medsea Alliance
Contribution: IUCN Med will moderate discussion on collaboration and MPA governance, with a spotlight on the IUCN Green List.
🌊12 June | | Scaling Blue Carbon Investments: Enabling Financing for Seagrass and Coastal Ecosystems
Venue: Blue Zone, Room 1
Organiser: IU Global Green Growth Institute, IUCN Med, IUCN ESARO, Notre Grande Bleu
Contribution: IUCN Med moderates the first panel and presents the Blue Carbon Strategy.
The Mediterranean: A Global Biodiversity Hotspot Under Threat

The Mediterranean Sea is home to an extraordinary wealth of marine life, hosting a large share of the world’s biodiversity and ranking among the top 25 global biodiversity hotspots. This unique semi-enclosed sea, bordered by 21 countries and three continents, is particularly vulnerable to human pressures such as overfishing, intensive maritime traffic, land-based pollution, and the proliferation of invasive non-native species.
Despite long-standing efforts toward effective marine management, the Mediterranean remains one of the most impacted marine regions. It is warming 20% faster than the global average, according to the MedECC network, and holds the highest percentage of threatened marine habitats in Europe: 21% classified as vulnerable and 11% as endangered on the EU28 Red List. These pressures amplify the urgency for coordinated governance, innovative conservation strategies, and sustainable economic transformation.
At UNOC 3, IUCN Med is amplifying the voice of the Mediterranean, its challenges, resilience, and potential to drive ocean recovery and equity through science, cooperation, and bold policy leadership.
The team will also meet with relevant authorities from Mediterranean countries and institutions.