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For the past fortnight, the city of Nice in France has been the global epicenter of ocean science and politics.

Last week's ended with a unanimous call for action to turn around the degradation of the ocean. And this week, the agenda focused on better protection of marine biodiversity, sustainable fisheries and emissions cuts.

The message is clear. With only five years to the UN's 2030 target for its sustainable development goal鈥攖o conserve the oceans, seas and marine resources鈥攁nd the requirement to protect 30% of the ocean, we need to make significant progress.

We all attended last week's meeting, together with more than 2,000 marine scientists from 120 countries. Here, we reflect on New Zealand's role and obligations to contribute to these global goals.

Legal imperatives

Globally, the and at accelerating rates. New Zealand's waters are not immune to this, with which further .

We to provide the air we breathe, moderate the impacts of climate change and feed millions of people.

New Zealand has significant influence on ocean policy鈥攆rom Antarctica to the sub-tropical Pacific, and within its sea territory, which is 15 times the size of its landmass and spans 30 degrees of latitude.

The government is required by law to take action to secure a healthy ocean.

A recent from the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea unanimously found that states, including New Zealand, have obligations under international law to reduce the impacts of climate change on marine areas, to apply an ecosystem approach to marine law and policy, reduce pollution and support the restoration of the ocean.

New Zealand the need to take a precautionary and ecosystem-based approach to marine management, based on science, tikanga and m膩tauranga 惭腻辞谤颈. These legal cases are part of a global upswell of strategic environmental and .

If New Zealand does not comply with these marine legal obligations, it may well find itself before the courts, incurring significant legal and reputational costs.

International agreements

In 2022, New Zealand was one of 196 countries that committed to protecting at least 30% of the world's coastal and marine areas by 2030 under the . New Zealand was an , but only .

Former prime minister Helen Clark has the current government for lagging behind on marine protection, especially in failing to ban bottom trawling.

At this week's UN ocean summit, a further 18 countries have ratified an agreement known as the , , still short of the 60 nations needed for it to enter into force.

New Zealand signed this treaty just before the last general election, but is . Foreign Minister Winston Peters represented New Zealand at the UN ocean conference, but focused mainly on .

Meanwhile, the government announced on environmental policy, including reworking the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement to better enable the use and development of the coastal environment for "priority activities" such as aquaculture, resource extraction, infrastructure and energy.

Oceanic environmental change is real and accelerating

Some countries showed that effective leadership can help navigate to a safe future for the oceans. For example, China's commitment to clean energy has seen carbon dioxide .

At the UN ocean summit, French Polynesia's president announced his administration would establish .

The cost of inaction . Ongoing ocean warming is already affecting weather patterns, with more extreme storms.

It is possible for if they are protected, at least temporarily. Yet this year, New Zealand's government found itself in hot water (once again) with both and for its management of fisheries.

We argue New Zealand has an opportunity and responsibility to demonstrate it can shift the downward spiral of oceanic degradation.

The overwhelming message at the half-way point of the is that for marine science to transform the state of our oceans it needs to include who have routinely been despite their longstanding rights and relationships with the ocean.

New Zealand already has a foundation of transdisciplinary and Indigenous to develop that are fit for local purposes and to answer global calls to action. We have a unique window of opportunity to lead the changes needed.

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