The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted 40 years ago, made it possible to strike a balance between the desire for freedom and the desire for territorialisation, and its Part XII already addressed environmental issues. But other major concerns have emerged since then.

The implementation of SDG14, Antarctic and high seas MPAs, IUU fishing and sustainable fisheries, plastic and even global pollution, the safety of submarine cables, the establishment of a group of international experts on the ocean, the sharing of knowledge and benefits, the greening of activities at sea and blue carbon: all these topics need an overall vision to ensure consistency in their treatment.

Some issues also need to be addressed in specific frameworks, such as the Climate and Biodiversity COPs. This is legitimate and essential. But they would benefit from participating in the construction of a global policy that ensures their coherence and gives visibility to the crucial role of the Ocean for all of humanity.

Only regular meetings, giving a voice to all stakeholders, would allow to build this policy and to address new concerns, as they arise, through voluntary commitments, resolutions or even binding agreements.

Such a major meeting on ocean governance would avoid the current multiplicity of negotiations and conferences with their duplication, dispersion, loss of energy and finally the risk of their pre-emption for the benefit of only those actors with enough means to be present everywhere.

UN Ocean conferences on the Ocean and sustainable development does exist but are focused on this subject.

A “Meeting of the Parties” to Convention on the Law of the Sea also does exist but is now focused on its administrative follow-up.

Relying on both these mechanisms could be a way to create a major meeting on ocean issues within the framework of the United Nations.