On March 30 and 31, Paris will host SOS Ocean, an international event bringing together opinion leaders, policymakers, scientists, and ocean advocates from around the world. Miguel Araújo is honoured to take part in this important gathering. The goal: to call for an ambitious action plan to address the major challenges facing the ocean and to prepare for the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3), scheduled for June 2025.

SOS Ocean Paris Meeting. United Nations Ocean Conference, Nice, France, 2025. Oceano Azul Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies. © Oceano Azul

The ocean is vital to our planet

Today, with the help of scientists, civil society, and coastal communities, marine ecosystems and underwater life are sending out an SOS. The ocean—the most vital system on our planet—is on the brink of irreversible collapse.

Last summer, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, echoed this global SOS from Tonga, in the Pacific, urging governments to step up action to save the ocean.

Recent extreme weather events, sea level rise, overexploitation of marine resources, pollution, and worsening climate and biodiversity crises are pushing the ocean to a breaking point.

The goal is to urge heads of state to act together and act now to:

  • Accelerate efforts to restore the ocean;
  • Protect 30% of the ocean by 2030;
  • Invest in a sustainable and regenerative blue economy that decarbonizes our economy;
  • Ensure a resilient and prosperous future for life on Earth.

SOS Ocean: a turning point before UNOC-3

The SOS Ocean event, held at the Musée de l’Homme and the Musée National de la Marine in Paris, amplifies the call to action for the ocean. The President of the Republic will participate in the discussions and lend his voice to this cause. The conclusions of this event will be brought to the international stage, playing a key role in securing bold and transformative commitments in the lead-up to UNOC-3.

The Araújo Lab was involved in briefing President Emmanuel Macron during his most recent state visit to Portugal, where key messages were conveyed regarding the critical nexus between ocean conservation, climate change, and biodiversity. These exchanges helped underscore the importance of integrated solutions and ambitious international action.

SOS Ocean

UNOC-3, to be held in Nice next June, offers the international community an opportunity to respond to this SOS by adopting the Nice Action Plan for the Ocean. To make this happen, states must urgently prioritise ocean restoration, placing it at the heart of global discussions and proposing a five-year agenda that could mark a turning point in the fight against ocean decline.