Law in action: turning the tide on ocean protection

As the world gathers for the third UN Ocean Conference, from 9  to 13 June 2025 in Nice, France, the urgency to protect and restore a healthy ocean has never been greater.

There is much at risk but also much to be gained from acting to ensure resilient and biodiverse marine ecosystems: from safeguarding livelihoods and food security to maintaining vital Earth systems and helping in the fight against climate change.

The law – when properly enforced and implemented – can be a powerful tool to drive the change we need for the benefit of all. While new ocean protections are needed, governments must make sure they are using the existing tools at their disposal to protect all life on Earth and secure our future.

This briefing outlines the importance of the effective enforcement of existing legal frameworks and regulations as a precondition for protecting and restoring the ocean, alongside a just transition in the fishing sector towards sustainable and low-impact practices.