Nice, France, 11 June 2025 – Greenpeace France activists today deployed a large banner reading “three million people stand against deep sea mining” outside the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice.
The activists brought the banner from Greenpeace International ship, Arctic Sunrise, after the ship was stopped from visiting the port of Nice during the conference. Greenpeace was attempting to deliver the message from three million people to assembled world leaders at UNOC calling for a stop to deep sea mining.
Photo and video is available here.
Hélène Bourges, ocean campaigner for Greenpeace France said: “We tried to arrive by sea on the Arctic Sunrise ship to deliver the message of three million people calling for a stop to deep sea mining. When it became clear this would not be possible, we decided that we must bring these three million voices here to Nice on land.
“Deep sea mining is front and centre at this conference. However, we still have not seen enough new countries pledge support for a moratorium ahead of the pivotal next meeting of the International Seabed Authority in July. The draft political declaration at this UN Ocean Conference is weak on stopping deep sea mining, a clear symbol that the levels of ambition here must be raised as we enter the final days of the conference.
“Deep sea mining is the most dangerous emerging threat to the oceans. Governments must agree to a moratorium in July. The Metals Company raised the stakes with their reckless submission of the first ever deep sea mining application for international waters directly to the US government. This undermines the United Nations and multilateralism. 2025 must be the year when deep sea mining is stopped.”
37 countries currently support a deep sea mining moratorium. Greenpeace’s message arrives as Slovenia, Cyprus, the Marshall Islands and Latvia officially joined the international call for a moratorium today, while Solomon Islands banned it from its own waters.
On the first day of UNOC, co-host France issued a statement “For a Preserved Ocean: Protecting the Deep Sea on the High Seas from Mining.” endorsed by 24 countries. It’s significant to see, for the first time, over 20 countries publicly stating the US administration’s push to open the deep sea to mining, bypassing the UN, would be contrary to international law.
