Date: Afternoon session (TBD), between 9–13 June 2025

Location: Green Zone, UN Ocean Conference, Nice, France (exact venue TBD)

Registration: TBC

The ocean is under unprecedented threat. Climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation are pushing marine ecosystems beyond their limits. As the world moves to deliver on SDG 14 and related global commitments, innovative legal tools and frameworks are emerging to strengthen ocean protection and recognise the intrinsic value of marine ecosystems.

Recent legal breakthroughs, including the climate advisory opinions at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR), and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alongside the adoption of the BBNJ Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework or discussions at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to consider the inclusion of ecocide as a fifth core international crime, signal a shift toward more holistic, rights-based approaches to ocean governance.

This side event will explore how these legal instruments and frameworks can be leveraged to advance the recognition of ocean rights, in line with the rights of nature approach. By convening legal experts, youth advocates, and government representatives, the event will foster an inclusive conversation on legal innovation and the transformative potential of recognising the ocean as a rights-bearing entity.