Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On February 6, 2025, MEPs on the Committee on Environment, Climate, and Food Safety met with EU Commissioner Kadis for an exchange of views.
Preparing for the UN Ocean Conference
The ENVI Committee (Committee on Environment, Climate, and Food Safety) met today to discuss current challenges and further steps to protect oceans.
MEPs engaged in an exchange of views with European Commissioner Costas Kadis, responsible for Fisheries and Oceans. Kadis emphasized that coherence across policy areas is essential to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. He also discussed the Oceans Pact, a Commission initiative aimed at safeguarding ocean health, fostering a competitive and sustainable blue economy, and supporting coastal communities.
MEPs raised concerns regarding the feasibility of these plans.
MEP Rasmus Nordqvist. Credit: European Union
“When we talk about the oceans, we’ve been hearing good speeches for years, but action has been lacking,” said Rasmus Nordqvist from the Group of the Greens. He called for clarification on the concrete steps the Commission will take and the agenda for the UN Ocean Conference.
Kadis responded that consultations with all stakeholders are necessary before providing a full response.
Between June 9 and June 13, France and Costa Rica will co-host the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France. This year’s theme focuses on accelerating collective efforts to conserve and sustainably use the ocean. The goal is to bring relevant stakeholders together to develop strategies for a more sustainable ocean-based economy.
Commissioner Kadis highlighted that the summit offers a key opportunity to showcase the EU's commitment to ocean protection. In preparation for the conference, the Commission is working on a legislative framework for the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), developed with the support of the United Nations.
BBNJ, an international accord signed by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in September 2023, outlines measures to establish large-scale marine protected areas and implement clear biodiversity conservation rules for the high seas.
Kadis announced that the Commission’s next objective is to ratify a legal framework for BBNJ before the June conference, reaffirming Europe’s dedication to protecting and responsibly managing the oceans.
Fighting Climate Change on an International Level
The European Commission remains committed to combating climate change on the international stage. Commissioner Kadis reaffirmed the Commission’s objective to reduce pollution from old vessels and plastic, expressing readiness to discuss further measures in collaboration with the upcoming Polish presidency.
“A global agreement on plastic would be a truly historic achievement.”
However, not all international actors share the same approach. For instance, the United States recently withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. MEP Mathilde Androuet, a member of the Patriots of Europe group, questioned the necessity of strict environmental commitments if “the US and China will do what they want.”
MEP Catarina Martins from the Left group also stressed the importance of addressing environmental policies on an international scale, to prevent the EU from banning certain products and practices while other countries continue to engage in them, undermining European efforts.
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