President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva landed on Saturday morning (7) in Nice, France, where he participates in the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Oceans (Unoc3). The meeting, promoted by the United Nations (UN), focuses on the advancement of the Sustainable Development Objective (SDGs) 14 of Agenda 2030, which deals with the preservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and their resources.
The conference will also address urgent themes such as climate change, marine pollution, biodiversity preservation and the impact of human activity on oceanic ecosystems. In addition to Lula, the event brings together heads of state, scientists, political leaders and representatives of non -governmental organizations around the world.
Julian Barbière, head of marine policy of the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO), said the oceans face a worrying situation, citing increased temperatures, raising sea level, different forms of pollution and the growing conflicts about fishing and mineral resource extraction. Despite the challenging scenario, Barbière stressed that solutions exist and that oceans have great capacity for regeneration – as long as there is coordinated human action and proper investment.
In recent years, important advances have been achieved in biodiversity and pollution agreements, but it is still necessary to ensure its implementation and financing. The previous editions of the conference took place in 2017, organized by Sweden and Fiji, in New York, and in 2022, by Portugal and Kenya, in Lisbon.
