In Nice, Lula presents Brazil's commitments to ocean protection

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva positioned Brazil as one of the leading voices in the global discussion on ocean protection and marine biodiversity. On Monday, June 9, in Nice, France, he presented seven voluntary national commitments related to the protection of marine areas. In his speech at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), the President argued that protecting the oceans is essential in the fight against the effects of climate change.

We have presented seven voluntary commitments related to the protection of marine areas, maritime spatial planning, sustainable fishing, science, and education”

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Republic of Brazil

“We have presented seven voluntary commitments related to the protection of marine areas, maritime spatial planning, sustainable fishing, science, and education. In addition to achieving zero deforestation by 2030, we will increase the coverage of our protected marine areas from 26% to 30%, meeting the target of the Global Biodiversity Framework,” said President Lula, speaking before authorities such as the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and the Presidents of France, Emmanuel Macron, and Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, who are co-chairing the event.

» Full transcript of President Lula’s speech

The President recalled that Brazil is bordered by approximately eight thousand kilometers of coastline and is home to a large part of the Amazon River basin, the largest river in the world in both length and volume. He emphasized that the country holds 12% of the world’s fresh water and will host COP30 in November in Belém, state of Pará, where ocean-related issues will also be debated, focusing on strategic discussions about the need for funding to prevent global warming from exceeding the 1.5º Celsius threshold.

“We will also implement programs dedicated to the preservation of mangroves and coral reefs, and we are formulating a national strategy against plastic pollution in the ocean. Our unprecedented marine spatial planning effort will allow for balanced use of the ocean, taking into account environmental impacts and the ecosystem services provided,” said President Lula, who invited the hundreds of conference participants to visit Brazil at the end of the year.

“Those who defend the Amazon so much need to go to the Amazon to see our COP30. To understand that beneath every tree canopy we want to preserve, there is a child, an indigenous person, a fisherman, a rubber tapper, an extractivist, a human being. And, for this reason, wealthy countries need to pay their debt related to greenhouse gas emissions.”

THREE BILLION PEOPLE — The President warned that without protection of the oceans, there can be no sustainable development, and that without protecting them, it is impossible to combat climate change. “Three billion people depend directly on marine resources for their survival. The ocean is the planet’s greatest climate regulator, due to the entire chain of life it supports. Tropical forests are being pushed to their point of no return. The ocean is feverish,” he emphasized.

TEMPERATURE AND POLLUTION — Lula also warned about the rising temperature of the oceans and the impacts of increasing marine pollution, especially regarding the dangers posed by plastics. “In one year, the average sea temperature rose nearly as much as it did in the previous four decades. In the last ten years, the world has produced more plastics than in the entire previous century. Their waste accounts for 80% of all marine pollution. Saving this biome requires renewed commitment,” Lula said.

GEOPOLITICS — Another point raised by Brazil refers to the challenges concerning the oceans on the geopolitical level. “Channels, gulfs, and straits should bring us closer together and not be a cause of discord. There is a looming threat of unilateralism over the ocean. We cannot allow what happened in international trade to happen to the sea, whose rules have been eroded to the point of rendering the WTO inoperative. Preventing the oceans from becoming a stage for geopolitical disputes is an urgent task for building peace,” Lula argued.

HIGH SEAS TREATY — The President highlighted Brazil’s national commitment to ratifying the High Seas Treaty, an agreement aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in international waters. “Brazil is committed to ratifying the High Seas Treaty still this year, to ensure transparent and shared management of biodiversity beyond national borders.”

IN SCHOOLS — The President also recalled Brazil’s support for sustainable fishing and emphasized that the country was the first to include ocean culture in educational programs. He added that Brazil will continue training teachers to teach the Blue Curriculum. “We will strengthen the collection of scientific data through an Integrated Monitoring System and continue to invest in research by means of the Comandante Ferraz Station in Antarctica. In 2025, we will have the largest number of Blue Schools in the world, bringing together 515 educational facilities, 160,000 students, and 2,600 teachers.”

BLUE FINANCE — The Third United Nations Ocean Conference is President Lula’s second commitment focused on marine protection. On Sunday (June 8), he attended the closing of the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco. On the occasion, he emphasized the need for greater political will to finance ocean protection. “In 2024, wealthy countries reduced official development assistance by 7%. In contrast, their military spending increased by 9.4%. This shows that money is not lacking. What is lacking is political will,” he stressed.

THE CONFERENCE — The United Nations Ocean Conference was established to advance Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 of the 2030 Agenda, dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources. Adopted in 2015 as a key component of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, SDG 14 highlights the need to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas, and marine resources. The conference in Nice continues through June 13.