The 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference was a pivotal moment for the ocean and marine ecosystems, as stakeholders came together to recognise the ocean’s vital role in our ecosystems. Science was at the heart of every reflection, negotiation, and discussion on the future of our ocean. Every speech, every deliberation, was accompanied by scientific facts and details, strengthening that knowledge of marine ecosystems is indispensable for effective governance. Serving as the single most unifying element on Earth, the ocean plays an important role in the regulation of our climate. The only thing truly uniting all stakeholders is their shared desire to keep this planet alive.
To limit climate impacts and achieve durable solutions, we must rethink our approach to conservation. Nature-based solutions are key, but true sustainability cannot be achieved by simply scaling up current logistical frameworks. Instead, we need to innovate on "scale-across" strategies and decentralise efforts by implementing solutions locally, within communities. This brings food security, education, employment, and health back to the people.
To truly transform how we interact with the ocean, we must prioritise sustainable feed practices and build a thriving blue regenerative economy. Biodiversity is the very life support of some communities, and nature is the heritage of the most vulnerable. This awareness is key to their survival.
An innovative model that illustrates this is the "Aar Aduna Ar Jeeguen" project, developed by the Paul Ricard Oceanographic Institute and the Veolia Foundation, which focuses on advanced freshwater aquaculture with an impressive water reuse rate of over ten cycles in laboratories. This project can be implemented both in laboratories and on the field. This replicable system combines fish farming and agriculture. Ponds are used to rear tilapia which enrich the water in nutrients used later on to irrigate produce gardens. Of the most recent site, two hectares are dedicated to the hatchery and three to agriculture.
As a result, garden production has increased, a new activity has been developed generating higher incomes for local communities, completing a virtuous circle, and addressing 10 SDGs. Freshwater and marine systems are deeply interconnected – what happens upstream inevitably flows downstream, impacting coastal and ocean ecosystems.
While we celebrate progress like UNOC3, we must acknowledge an urgent need to accelerate our understanding of biodiversity and the living world, particularly through biomimicry and understanding nature’s fundamental principles. In the wild, energy conservation is key to survival, as living beings are condemned to have a positive energy balance. If they do not manage their energy effectively, they die.
We, as humans, have dangerously distanced ourselves from this survival instinct by relying on fossil fuels and technology to overcome natural limits. We have freed ourselves from energetic constraints, time, space, and even death, breaking free from the cycle of the living and entering a consumption cycle that is ultimately killing both us and the living world. Biodiversity is not merely a common good; it is a heritage we owe to future generations.
Those who illegally exploit and degrade ecosystems are stealing from our descendants and looting our ocean. To truly safeguard marine ecosystems, we need four pillars of what I call the “Magic Square”: a dialogue between scientists, private companies, NGOs and civil society, universities and academia, institutions and territories. The only way forward is by recognising our skills, listening and working together to transition towards protecting biodiversity and reducing climate impacts.
As we anticipate the upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, we hope to emerge with a new vision of the living – one that centres on solutions, values sharing, prioritises protection, and encourages responsible exploration. Life must be at the heart of every debate and remain central to the entire nexus. We are not just saving the planet – we are saving life itself.
It's time to revisit our economic models and their systemic impacts. We have begun to understand the implications of climate change and the ocean. We must now extend this to living ecosystems and biodiversity. Currently, discussions about biodiversity often focus on its collapse and loss. Let’s shift this narrative and think about biodiversity as a solution. By bringing all parts of the nexus together, we can ensure that everyone is aligned and ready to act for the protection of the living.