LONDON (June 5, 2025) — Today, the European Union adopted the European Ocean Pact — a unified strategy that aims to protect the ocean, promote a thriving blue economy and support the communities and livelihoods that depend on the ocean. The Pact comes days ahead of the UN Ocean Conference, where governments will convene in Nice, France to advance ocean action.

The Pact brings existing and new ocean policies under one coordinated framework, with six priorities: restoring ocean health, boosting the sustainable blue economy, supporting coastal and outermost regions, enhancing maritime security, advancing ocean knowledge and innovation and strengthening EU ocean diplomacy and governance. The EU manages the world’s largest collective maritime area.

Following is a statement from Tom Pickerell, Global Director, Ocean Program, World Resources Institute: 

“The Pact sets a strong example for how EU countries can govern their ocean area in ways that improve coastal communities’ lives. It rightly places the ocean at the heart of Europe’s environmental, economic, and geopolitical future.

“We are encouraged by the Pact’s focus on integrated ocean policies, closer links between science and decision-making and stronger international cooperation. This aligns closely with the ambitions of the Ocean Panel, which includes 18 countries committed to sustainably managing 100% of their national ocean areas. The Pact’s push for ocean innovation, from offshore renewables and blue biotech to circular economy solutions and zero-carbon shipping, marks real progress toward a sustainable blue economy. And the Pact's attention to coastal communities and youth leadership signal that people who depend on the ocean are critical to protecting it.

“Now bold words must be backed by results. Many commitments lack clear timelines, targets and accountability. On finance, the Pact misses the mark by overlooking key tools such as blue bonds, blended finance and insurance mechanisms — essential for scaling investment and embedding ocean health into Europe’s economies. Without a clear strategy to build capacity in developing countries, its promise of inclusive global progress risks falling short.

“The EU must now deliver on commitments: support national sustainable ocean plans, unlock new funding — especially for vulnerable coastal and island states — and make sure ocean solutions are part of climate and nature action. It should also recognize the importance of blue foods for healthy diets, jobs and resilience.

“As leaders meet in Nice next week for the UN Ocean Conference, this is a vital moment for countries to restore the ocean’s health. Governments must ratify the High Seas Treaty, protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 and back efforts to manage all national waters sustainably. With real investment and global cooperation, the EU Ocean Pact can turn ambition into action — at the UN Ocean Conference, at COP30, and beyond.”

Editor’s note: WRI serves as Secretariat of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy — a group of 18 heads of state and government from countries committed to sustainably managing 100% of their national waters by 2030 — and coordinates the 100% Alliance, a global initiative co-led by Chile and France that encourages all countries to make that commitment.