The Commission actively participated in the event with addresses from President von der Leyen and Commissioners Gabriel, Vălean and Sinkevičius.

The ocean covers more than 70% of the surface of our planet, yet too often remains on the sidelines of major European and international events. The ocean is a regulator of major environmental balances, and climate in particular; a provider of resources; an important enabler of trade, and an essential link between countries and human communities. However, it is threatened by numerous pressures, such as the effects of climate change, pollution, and the overexploitation of marine resources.

The goal of the One Ocean Summit was to raise the collective level of ambition of the international community on marine issues and to translate our shared responsibility to the ocean into commitments.  The four main topics of the event were:

• preservation of marine biodiversity;
• halting the overexploitation of marine resources;
• fighting marine pollution; and
• mitigation of climate change.

Speaking at the Summit, President von der Leyen announced three key initiatives for cooperation to preserve and revive the oceans: 1) a new international coalition to protect biodiversity on the high seas; 2) a major computing project allowing researchers to digitally simulate the world's oceans; and 3) the EU's research mission to restore our ocean and waters by 2030.

The first initiative, the high-ambition coalition on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), underlines the EU's role as the leading actor on global marine conservation. Areas beyond national jurisdiction represent 95% of the ocean and their biodiversity provides invaluable ecological and socio-economic benefits to humanity. However, these vast areas are increasingly vulnerable to threats, including pollution, overexploitation, and the impacts of climate change. Ongoing United Nations negotiations provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and the EU is working hard to reach an agreement in 2022. The Coalition aims to bring together those who, like the EU and its Member States, strive for an ambitious UN Treaty on BBNJ conservation.   

The second initiative, the Digital Twin Ocean platform, to be developed under the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”, will allow for the assessment of different scenarios, advancing the understanding of the marine environment and providing knowledge-based input to decision-making. The Digital Twin Ocean will ensure open and unrestricted access to marine data, cover knowledge gaps and foster integration of existing forecasting and modelling applications at EU level.  

The third initiative announced by President von der Leyen involves the work already begun by the EU to enhance ocean literacy through education and investing in research, such as the “Brest Commitments for the Oceans”. The document takes note of a number of progressive steps taken on all four strands of the meeting and announces more ocean related high-level meetings, including the next UN Ocean Conference in 2024, proposed to be jointly organised by France and Costa Rica.

Read more:

• EC Press Release 11 February 2022 One Ocean Summit
• Factsheet EU protects the ocean
• Brest Commitments for the Oceans