On the eve of the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, The Ocean & Climate Platform and The Varda Group gathered forward-thinking leaders, changemakers, and innovators to spark hope and reimagine humanity’s relationship with the Ocean. The event, ‘The Future is Now: Let’s Dive into an Ocean of Possibilities,’ explored bold visions, transformative solutions, and the actionable pathways to achieve them.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary notes that the event was part of the mandate given to Loreley Picourt, Executive Director, Ocean & Climate Platform, and Rémi Parmentier, Co-Founder, The Varda Group, by UNOC3 co-hosts France and Costa Rica, to mobilize and consult civil society in the run up to the Conference. The event centered around two initiatives:
- The Ocean Protection Principle; and
- An Ocean of Possibilities.
Among key messages from the event, the ENB report highlights the need to: 1) harness imagination and creativity to think outside the box; 2) move towards a new value paradigm to reshape the relationship between humans and the Ocean; and 3) focus on transformative change that is often driven by individual, local, and community action.
In opening remarks, Picourt called attention to the mobilization of civil society for UNOC3 around “strengthening the human-nature relationship along the principles of equity, justice, and sustainability.”
Parmentier highlighted the need to “think outside the box to devise transformative ideas such as the protection principle or the ministries of the Ocean, avoiding large structures and vested interests that restrict civil society’s creativity or erect frontiers.”
Speaking during an interactive dialogue on driving transformative change, Parmentier called on the participants to “rock the boat,” while at the same time ensuring “the boat moves in the right direction.” Picourt drew attention to a civil society initiative, ‘Our Blue Future: A Call for Action from the Ocean Community,’ demanding transformative action to secure a just, health, and resilient future for the Ocean and all life it sustains.
“The future is not something we await, it is something we create together starting now,” said Sustainable Ocean Alliance CEO Anne Park in closing. Underscoring that the Ocean is not a resource, but “a relative, a teacher, and a home,” Park called for reimagining humanity’s relationship with the Ocean towards reciprocity, responsibility, and respect.
The event took place on 8 June, which marks World Ocean Day. UNOC3 convenes from 9-13 June 2025. [ENB Coverage of The Future is Now: Let’s Dive into an Ocean of Possibilities]