Rising Ocean

COP28 is a critical step on the Road to the 3rd UN Ocean Conference (Nice, June 2025) to safeguard the health of the ocean and the communities who depend on it. Central to this challenge are the needs to improve our knowledge of the ocean-climate relationship, to build sustainable and resilient communities, and to close the finance gap and develop a sustainable blue economy. This high-level event will dive into concrete plans and actions towards UNOC 3.

• Olivier Poivre d'Arvor (opening), Ambassador for the Poles and the Ocean, Special Envoy of the President for the UN Ocean Conference, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (France);
• Arnoldo Andre (high-level opening), Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Costa Rica);
• Catherine Colonna (high-level opening), Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (France);
• Junhua Li (high-level opening), Deputy Secretary General, UNDESA;
• Christian Estrosi (keynote), Mayor of Nice (France);
• Jane Lubchenco, Director, OSTP, White House, USA;
• Anies Baswedan, Governor of Jakarta;
• Razan Al Mubarak, President, IUCN;
• Romain Troublé, President, The Ocean & Climate Platform;
• Margaret Leinen (moderator), Director, Scripps Institute of Oceanography;
• Jean-Pierre Gattuso (keynote), Director of Research, CNRS;
• Jim Skea, President, IPCC
• Antje Boetius, Director General, Alfred Wegener Institute;
• Karina von Schuckmann, Oceanographer, Mercator Ocean;
• Françoise Gaill, President, Ocean Sustainability Foundation/IPOS;
• Peter de Menocal (moderator), President, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution;
• Pascal Lamy (keynote), Chairman, Ocean Finance and Blue Economy Forum (UNOC Special Event 2025);
• Ajay Banga, President, World Bank;
• Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Assistant Secretary General, UN Global Compact;
• Claire Martin, Vice President of Sustainability, CMA-CGM;
• Mafalda Duerte, Executive Director, Green Climate Fund;
• Ilana Seid (moderator), Ambassador of Palau to the UN;
• Peter Thomson (wrap-up), UN SG's Special Envoy for the Ocean;
• Prince Albert II of Monaco (high-level closing)