Despite major efforts in recent years, we know less about the ocean floor than we do about the surface of the Moon. Learning from the ocean is the greatest scientific adventure of our time. To succeed, the international community can no longer ignore scientists' warnings and must invest massively in oceanographic research - which currently represents less than 2% of national research budgets.
Audrey AzoulayDirector-General of UNESCO
While in Nice to represent UNESCO, the United Nations agency responsible for ocean science, Audrey Azoulay will call for stronger engagement from States to support global oceanographic research and the scientists who conduct it. The commitments made at this Conference will contribute to the objectives of the UN Decade of Ocean Science, led by UNESCO, which since 2021 has already enabled the development of more than 700 projects with a total budget of $1.5 billion.
Scaling up seabed mapping
Mapping the seabed and its biodiversity is the foundation upon which all marine knowledge depends. It is essential for understanding the effects of climate disruption, protecting ecosystems, forecasting disasters, and guiding the management of marine areas. Led by UNESCO and the International Hydrographic Organization, with support from the Nippon Foundation, high-resolution seabed mapping now covers 26.1% of the world's ocean floor - up from less than 6% in 2017.
Despite this progress, around 25% more data remain in the hands of public or private actors. Making these datasets publicly available through UNESCO's open-access mapping platform would represent a major step forward for global oceanographic research. In Nice, several countries - including Canada, Germany, Monaco, Norway, and Portugal - as well as international and private-sector organizations, will announce new commitments alongside UNESCO to publicly share their data.
Creating the world's largest real-time ocean observation network
Understanding the ocean also requires continuous observation. To collect this data, UNESCO is equipping ships with scientific measuring instruments that transmit real-time data to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), which is coordinated by the Organization. More than 2,000 vessels are already equipped - including those from the Vendée Globe sailing competition and commercial fleets.
In Nice, UNESCO will present its target to involve 10,000 commercial vessels by 2035, calling upon its Member States and shipping industry operators to join this unprecedented global ocean observation network. Ships will be equipped with meteorological and oceanographic instruments that transmit real-time data, helping to better assess the effects of climate disruption, anticipate extreme weather events, and improve maritime safety.
Harnessing citizen science to map marine species
Since 2021, UNESCO has developed a standardized environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling method to identify thousands of marine species rapidly and cost-effectively. Following a pilot phase across 21 UNESCO World Heritage marine sites - during which nearly 4,500 species were identified from 500 samples - the programme now aims to collect 2,500 samples across 25 marine sites designated by UNESCO, five times more than during the pilot phase.
These citizen science expeditions take place in iconic natural areas, listed as World Heritage or designated as Biosphere Reserves. They mobilize UNESCO experts, scientists, and volunteers - including students, teachers, and associated schools - to better understand and protect rare and fragile ecosystems.
