ISTANBUL 

Several countries attending the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in the French Mediterranean city of Nice have called for a binding international agreement to tackle plastic pollution, a growing threat to marine ecosystems and human health.

Co-chaired by Costa Rica and France, the conference has brought together leaders and senior officials from over 120 countries, alongside thousands of participants from civil society and the scientific community.

A statement released by the French Foreign Ministry on Tuesday noted that plastic pollution poses "devastating consequences for human health and the environment."

It emphasized that approximately 460 million tons of plastic are produced each year. Without urgent action, this figure is expected to triple by 2060.

"Plastic pollution is a scourge, and the ocean is its first victim," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

During the gathering, 95 countries signed the “Nice Call,” urging the adoption of binding measures to combat plastic waste on a global scale.

The call underlines the need for decisive international cooperation and regulatory frameworks to reduce plastic pollution in oceans and coastal areas.

The ongoing conference, which runs until June 13, is addressing a wide range of challenges facing the world’s oceans, including climate change, sea level rise, overfishing, and illegal fishing.

Participants are expected to outline concrete steps toward sustainable ocean governance.

The UN Ocean Conference was first held in 2017 in New York under the co-chairmanship of Sweden and Fiji. The second edition took place in Lisbon in 2022, hosted by Portugal and Kenya.