UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLENARY DEBATE: OCEANS AND LAW OF THE SEA
Statement by H.E Mr. James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
8 December 2025
Thank you, President.
Australia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Solomon Islands on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum members.
We make these additional remarks in our national capacity.
Today’s resolution on oceans and the law of the sea continues to affirm the General Assembly’s steadfast support for the centrality of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – for its universal and unified character as the comprehensive legal framework for all activities in the ocean and seas.
President, I wish to highlight four key points.
First, the Convention provides the foundation for a stable, peaceful, predictable, and open maritime domain, and compliance with its rules and norms.
This framework is at the heart of our shared security and prosperity.
We have all had a say in shaping the Conventions rules and norms, and we must defend them.
When disputes arise, we must ensure they are resolved peacefully in accordance with international law; not by force, power or coercion.
The Indo-Pacific region has a rich history of resolving maritime disputes peacefully in accordance with the Convention.
Today, this legacy is more important than ever in the South China Sea.
Australia maintains that all maritime claims must be made in accordance with the Convention.
States must also be able to exercise their lawful rights and freedoms under the Convention without coercion or harassment.
We are seriously concerned by dangerous and coercive conduct in the South China Sea, particularly over the past year, including for the purpose of exerting excessive maritime claims that are inconsistent with UNCLOS.
Such conduct endangers peace and security in the region, threatens lives and livelihoods, creates serious risks of miscalculation or accident, and undermines commitments to de-escalate tensions.
Second, as we face the immense and interconnected challenges of the triple planetary crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution – we must also protect the ocean and marine environment.
Climate change is an urgent global challenge and the greatest shared threat to all countries.
Ocean-based climate action is central to achieving global climate goals and can contribute up to thirty-five per cent of global emissions reductions needed by 2050, while enhancing resilience, conserving biodiversity, and supporting sustainable livelihoods.
We were extremely proud to have co-facilitated, with Cabo Verde, the political declaration ‘Our ocean, our future: united for urgent action’, adopted by consensus at the third UN Ocean Conference in Nice this year.
The declaration underlines that the ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future.
To help meet our commitment to manage 100 per cent of our ocean sustainably, we are developing a national sustainable ocean plan.
The development of the plan has provided an opportunity for ocean users and managers to come together to discuss a shared vision for our ocean to 2040.
We thank Brazil for bringing us together at COP30 and are proud to work with Türkiye to take forward COP31 in 2026.
As President of Negotiations, Australia will advance the Pacific’s interests by bringing attention to the existential threat climate change poses to our region.
Australia recognises the important leadership of Small Island Developing States, including Pacific Island countries, in shaping global responses to climate change.
We welcome the unanimous advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on climate change, delivered on 23 July 2025, as well as the advisory opinion of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, delivered on 21 May 2024.
Both the ICJ and ITLOS have important contributions to make in relation to the obligations of all States to respond to the climate emergency and to protect and preserve the marine environment from the impacts of climate change.
Australia commends the International Law Commission for its crucial work on ‘sea-level rise in relation to International Law’ and welcomes the final report on this topic.
We welcome the significant progress on the relationship between sea-level rise and maritime zones, statehood and the protection of persons.
Third, ocean protection requires regulation.
The effective protection of the ocean, and the sustainable use of its resources, is vitally important to Australia.
The High Seas Biodiversity Treaty (BBNJ) is an historic achievement for the multilateral system and a resounding victory for ocean protection.
The high seas and the deep seabed amount to over two-thirds of the ocean. In addition to contributing to sustainable development, the BBNJ Agreement will deliver meaningful conservation benefits.
We welcome the imminent entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement and encourage all States to continue to engage constructively in the Preparatory Commission, which Australia is delighted to be co-chairing with Belize.
We welcome Singapore’s resolution on this topic, which is also under consideration this morning, and underscore the priority we attach to a successful first Conference of the Parties.
Australia is deeply committed to the conservation and sustainable management of the ocean, underpinned by the Convention.
As a member of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council, Australia is working to conclude a comprehensive and robust regulatory framework before any deep seabed mining beyond national jurisdiction can go ahead.
We are focused on achieving a regulatory framework that provides for assessment of potential environmental impacts based on scientific evidence; includes strong environmental protections; and establishes robust inspection, compliance and enforcement mechanisms.
We urge all Council members to further ocean protection objectives and uphold our commitments under UNCLOS, building upon existing protections under the ISA’s regulatory framework for exploration activities.
The international community has demonstrated that it can find consensus on the most pressing challenges facing the ocean.
Finally,
Australia’s First Nations people have a profound and enduring connection with Sea Country, which is central to cultural and spiritual identity, social and economic life, and wellbeing.
Australia recognises the importance of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ knowledges, sciences and practices in ocean conservation and sustainable use.
Australia consulted widely with First Nations communities and established a dedicated First Nations Sustainable Ocean Reference Group to ensure First Nations perspectives and aspirations are incorporated throughout our draft Sustainable Ocean Plan.
First Nations voices are central to developing an effective and equitable approach to ocean management.
We emphasise the contribution of Indigenous Peoples in addressing regional and global ocean challenges.
For Australia, the ocean is at the very heart of our national identity, and as a steadfast proponent of the international legal regime governing the ocean, we are proud to once again to co-sponsor this resolution.
Thank you.