UNOC3 DECLARATION ENDORSEMENT
Statement by H.E. James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations
30 June 2025
Thank you, President.
Ambassador Tania Romualdo and I are extremely proud to have co‑facilitated intergovernmental consultations on the declaration "Our ocean, our future: united for urgent action", adopted by consensus at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice.
Australia voted in support of today’s resolution because the declaration underlines that the ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future. It reflects our global agreement to deal with the emergency it faces from climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
The declaration represents the widest possible support of Member States and was the result of long and inclusive consultations involving the full range of stakeholders, from governments and civil society to international organisations and the scientific community, and it builds on the collective ambition by Leaders and Ministers at the previous UN Ocean Conferences in 2017 and 2022.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank President Yang for the trust he placed in Australia and Cabo Verde, and all delegations and stakeholders who contributed throughout the process.
Our special thanks as well to the United Nations staff, who provided exceptional support, and to the co-hosts of the conference, France and Costa Rica.
We are at a crossroads of urgency, opportunity, and hope. The declaration marks a decisive milestone in strengthening international cooperation, and speaks to our shared political commitment to take bold, ambitious, just and transformative action for the ocean.
It is now incumbent on us to ensure these commitments are implemented, and to see our political will is turned into action.
For Australia, the ocean is at the very heart of our national identity, and we look forward to working with you all to build on the progress we have made to ensure a healthy ocean.
Thank you.