How Global Policies Shape Ocean Conservation

• June 10, 2025

As marine ecosystems face unprecedented threats, from climate change and pollution to overfishing and habitat loss, global and regional policies are evolving rapidly to safeguard ocean health and biodiversity. This article explores the key international agreements and EU initiatives driving marine conservation, and highlights the role of the PHAROS project in shaping effective policy recommendations.

Key Agreements Affecting Marine Biodiversity

The ocean covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface, yet only about 1% of the high seas are currently protected. To address this gap, the European Union recently ratified the landmark Treaty of the High Seas, a binding international agreement facilitated by the United Nations aimed at protecting marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions. This treaty enables the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters, a crucial step toward the global target of protecting at least 30% of the planet’s oceans by 2030.

The treaty’s ratification by the EU and six member states, alongside prior ratifications by France and Spain, marks the largest joint commitment to date, signaling Europe’s leadership in ocean governance. Additionally, the EU pledged €40 million through its Global Ocean Programme to support African, Caribbean, and Pacific partners in ratifying and implementing this treaty, emphasizing a collaborative approach to ocean stewardship.

EU and International Policy Updates

The European Union has intensified its ocean conservation efforts through a comprehensive policy framework. At the Our Ocean Conference in Busan (April 2025), the EU committed over €300 million to support sustainable blue economy initiatives, combat marine pollution, strengthen MPAs, develop digital ocean technologies, and address climate change impacts on marine environments.

Central to the EU’s strategy is the newly adopted European Ocean Pact, which consolidates EU ocean policies into a single coordinated framework. The Pact promotes six priority areas including restoring ocean health, boosting the sustainable blue economy, supporting coastal communities, enhancing maritime security, advancing ocean research and innovation, and strengthening international ocean governance.

The Pact is designed to be complemented by an Ocean Act by 2027, ensuring the implementation of its priorities with measurable targets tracked via an EU Ocean Pact dashboard. This initiative exemplifies the EU’s ambition to lead global ocean conservation efforts while fostering economic growth and social well-being in coastal regions.
However, environmental NGOs have raised concerns that the Pact lacks binding measures and concrete plans to tackle destructive fishing practices, pollution, and enforcement of existing legislation. They call for legally binding targets, adequate funding, and clear roadmaps to enable a just transition to a regenerative blue economy.

The Role of PHAROS in Shaping Policy Recommendations

PHAROS contributes to this evolving policy landscape by providing science-based insights and innovative solutions for marine ecosystem restoration and sustainable aquaculture. Through its integrated approach combining technology, stakeholder engagement, and ecosystem monitoring, PHAROS informs policy discussions at EU and international levels.

By collaborating with partners across Europe and beyond, PHAROS supports the implementation of marine protected areas and sustainable fisheries management, aligning with the objectives of the European Ocean Pact and the High Seas Treaty. Its work on digital ocean technologies, such as real-time ecosystem monitoring and digital twins, complements the EU’s investment in “Digital Oceans” to enhance ocean observation and governance.

Furthermore, PHAROS’s policy recommendations emphasize the need for coordinated action that integrates marine biodiversity conservation with climate resilience and blue economy development. This holistic vision supports the EU’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Ocean Decade, fostering a future where ocean health and human prosperity go hand in hand.

References

• BirdLife Europe, ClientEarth, Oceana, Seas At Risk, Surfrider Foundation Europe, & WWF European Policy Office. (2025, June 5). EU Ocean Pact response: Tentative steps forward, but critical gaps must be addressed to protect our ocean. https://www.birdlife.org/news/2025/06/05/eu-ocean-pact-response-tentative-steps-forward-but-critical-gaps-must-be-addressed-to-protect-our-ocean/
• Copernicus Marine Service. (2025, April 14). Protecting marine biodiversity: The European vision. https://marine.copernicus.eu/news/protecting-marine-biodiversity-european-vision
• European Commission. (2025a, May 28). EU leads global efforts to protect high seas biodiversity with landmark treaty ratification. https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-leads-global-efforts-protect-high-seas-biodiversity-landmark-treaty-ratification-2025-05-28_en
• European Commission. (2025b, May 22). EU to allocate more than €300 million for ocean conservation efforts. https://wodnesprawy.pl/en/eu-to-allocate-more-than-e300-million-for-ocean-conservation-efforts/
• European Commission. (2025c, June 5). Commission adopts Ocean Pact to protect marine life and strengthen blue economy. https://commission.europa.eu/news-and-media/news/commission-adopts-ocean-pact-protect-marine-life-and-strengthen-blue-economy-2025-06-05_en
• PHAROSproject.eu. (2025). PHAROS project policy recommendations and ecosystem restoration initiatives. https://pharosproject.eu
• United Nations. (2025, June). Third UN Ocean Conference, Nice, France. https://iucn.org/events/external-event/un-oceans-conference-2025