JOINT PRESS RELEASE – 3 June 2025
- More than 200 environmental organisations worldwide demand immediate ban on offshore oil and gas exploration to protect marine ecosystems
- Coalition urges world leaders to commit to transformative ocean protection measures at UN Ocean Conference 2025
- Open letter highlights critical window for action as Ocean faces unprecedented threats from climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss
Less than one week before world leaders gather in Nice for the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025, a powerful coalition of 208 environmental organisations has issued an urgent call for governments to ban offshore oil and gas exploration and commit to comprehensive ocean protection measures.
The open letter reflects a remarkable show of global unity from civil society, with signatories spanning six continents – including leading marine conservation groups, climate coalitions, and grassroots organisations – demanding decisive action to confront the Ocean’s escalating crisis.
“If we destroy our oceans, we steal our children’s future. Taking meaningful steps to protect marine ecosystems isn’t a choice—it’s a promise we must keep to every child who deserves to inherit a living, breathing planet,” said Andrea Koehle Jones, Founder of The ChariTree Foundation, Canada’s national children’s environmental education organization based on a tiny island off the coast of Vancouver. “At the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, governments must rise to the moment, ratify and commit to protecting our blue planet for future generations.”
“The window of opportunity for meaningful ocean action is rapidly closing. This unprecedented coalition of over 200 organisations is sending a clear message to global leaders that we cannot afford the continued search for new oil and gas deposits in the ocean. If we are consistent and honest in our efforts tackling the climate crisis and devastating status of the ocean, this has to stop. The UN Ocean Conference in Nice represents a critical moment for governments to demonstrate genuine leadership by committing to ban offshore oil and gas exploration and agreeing on comprehensive protection measures for our blue planet.”
Nicolas Entrup, Director of International Relations at OceanCare:
Bruna Campos, Senior Campaigner, Offshore Oil and Gas at the Center for International Environmental Law:
“The fossil fuel industry is the largest emitter of global greenhouse gases and directly impacts marine life, from microorganisms to the largest whales. At the UN Ocean Conference, governments must clearly define the measures they will take to protect the ocean and mitigate the climate impacts of fossil fuels. Our ocean will not be healthy until it is free from oil and gas. The time for a fossil-free ocean is now.”
Joe Moeono-Kolio, Chief Advisor, Pacific, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative:
“The Ocean is sacred: it has been the lifeblood, identity and cradle of Pacific peoples for millenia. It is now under siege by the twin forces of destruction: The fossil fuel production and use that poisons it and the looming threat of deep sea mining that strips away at its life. As leaders gather at UNOC3, we need decision makers who are not driven by short-sighted greed but who are courageous enough to have actual substance in their leadership. The life of the Ocean and all of us who depend on it will endure if there is a clear commitment to phase out fossil fuels and reject deep sea mining.”
Flora McMorrin, Director, RISE UP:
“Since 2019, the RISE UP Blue Call to Action, now backed by over 750 organisations worldwide, has urged governments to immediately ban new offshore oil and gas exploration and rapidly phase out existing operations. We welcome this new joint letter as a powerful reaffirmation of those demands. As we approach the UN Ocean Conference 2025, world leaders must seize this critical moment to end offshore fossil fuel expansion, protect marine biodiversity, and invest in a just, low-impact energy transition for a thriving ocean and climate.”
The coalition emphasises that continued offshore fossil fuel exploration is fundamentally incompatible with meeting the Paris Agreement’s climate targets and protecting marine biodiversity. Current exploration activities involve the use of airguns that produce some of the loudest human-generated noise in the marine environment, causing severe harm to marine wildlife from the smallest plankton to the largest whales.
The letter calls on governments to commit to transitioning away from fossil fuels by prohibiting all new exploration activities for fossil fuels in areas within and beyond national jurisdiction, in line with the objective agreed at the COP28 climate conference. With the conference due to begin on 9 June, the organisations are urging governments to incorporate such a commitment into the Declaration, which will chart a course for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13 and 14. Consistency requires keeping fossil fuels in the ground by immediately ending the exploration of new hydrocarbon deposits, which would strengthen the link between marine conservation and climate action.ENDS
Media contact
- Dániel Fehér, Head of Press, OceanCare: +49 176 81434026; dfeher@oceancare.org
Publication
- Open Letter from NGOs: “End Fossil Fuel Exploration in the Ocean” (with list of signatories)
Notes to editors
The Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) will be held in Nice, France, in June 2025. Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, this high-level conference focuses on accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). UNOC3 provides a crucial opportunity for governments to commit to concrete actions for ocean protection and address the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
OceanCare’s initiative “Because Our Planet Is Blue” calls for six specific actions to protect the Ocean, including as its first demand: “Ban offshore oil and gas exploration and phase out existing fossil fuel extraction.” The campaign highlights that despite Paris Agreement targets, billions of dollars continue to be spent exploring for oil and gas in the seabed, even within marine protected areas.
Image material
- Because Our Planet Is Blue campaign visual “Oil and Gas”
- Because Our Planet Is Blue campaign visual “Underwater Noise”
About OceanCare
OceanCare is an international marine conservation non-governmental organisation, founded in Switzerland in 1989. The organisation pursues the protection and restoration of the marine environment and marine wildlife with a strong policy focus, combining research, conservation projects and education. OceanCare’s remit includes marine pollution, climate change, marine mammal hunting and the environmental consequences of fisheries. Its work is supported by a team of scientific, legal and policy experts, and involves strategic collaboration with civil society organisations and coalitions around the world. OceanCare is an officially accredited partner and observer to several UN conventions and other international fora. www.oceancare.org
About the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
The Center for International Environmental Law is a non-for-profit organization that since 1989, uses the power of law to protect the environment, including the oceans, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. CIEL seeks a world where the law reflects the interconnection between humans and the environment, respects the limits of the planet, protects the dignity and equality of each person, and encourages all of earth’s inhabitants to live in balance with each other. CIEL pursues its mission through legal research and advocacy, education and training, with a focus on connecting global challenges to the experiences of communities on the ground. In the process, we build and maintain lasting partnerships with communities and non-profit organizations around the world. www.ciel.org
About the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is spurring international cooperation to end new development of fossil fuels, phase out existing production within the agreed climate limit of 1.5°C and develop plans to support workers, communities and countries dependent on fossil fuels to create secure and healthy livelihoods. For more information on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative and proposal, access here. www.fossilfueltreaty.org
About RISE UP
RISE UP is a global network of over 750 organisations committed to ensuring that ocean policies and decision-making are shaped by the communities most affected by them. We unite and amplify the voices of ocean focused civil society, small-scale fisher and Indigenous Peoples organisations to influence ocean policy. By working with allied policymakers and partners, we help ensure that ocean-dependent communities are heard at the highest levels. Our mission is to drive more inclusive, just, and sustainable outcomes for the ocean. riseupfortheocean.org
1. AbibiNsroma Foundation
2. Action Pour le Developpement des Jeunes au Congo (ADJC)
3. Adarsha Samajik Progoti Sangstha
4. African Confederation of Professionnal Organizations of Artisanal Fisheries -CAOPA-
5. All Bangla Fishermen’s Association (ABFMA)6. AllRise
7. Animal Welfare Institute
8. ARAYARA.org/ ARAYARA International Institute
9. Archipelagos – ambiente e sviluppo, Italia
10. ARTSail Residency and Research Initiative
11. Asia Indigenous Peoples Network on Extractive Industries and Energy (AIPNEE)
12. Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente (AIDA)
13. ASSOCIACIÓ CATALANA DE DONES DE LA MAR
14. Associació Cetàcea
15. Associació Som Mar
16. Association for Farmers Rights Defense, AFRD
17. Australian Marine Conservation Society
18. Azul
19. Benin Environment and Education Society
20. Biofuelwatch
21. BLOOM
22. Blue Green Generation
23. Blue Marine Foundation
24. British Divers Marine Life Rescue
25. Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland e.V. (BUND)
26. Cambridge Climate Society
27. Care About Climate
28. Carolina Ocean Alliance
29. CATCA Environmental and Wildlife Society
30. CEE Bankwatch Network
31. Center for Biological Diversity
32. Center for International Environmental Law
33. Center for Protection and Research of Birds
34. Centre d’éducation et de recherche de Sept-Îles
35. Centre for Climate Safety
36. Centre For Community Initiatives Against Human Trafficking (CIAHT)
37. Centro de Conservacion Cetacea
38. Cet Law
39. Cetacean Society International
40. Cetaceans.org
41. Circle of Voices
42. ClimaTalk
43. Climate Action Merribek (Australia)
44. Climate Action Network (CAN) International
45. Climate Rights International
46. CliMates Austria
47. Club Alpbach France
48. Coal Action Network
49. Coalition Clean Baltic – CCB
50. Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA)
51. Conexiones Climáticas
52. Congregation of the Mission
53. Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V.
54. Dolphin Biology and Conservation
55. Dolphin Connection
56. Earth Ethics, Inc.
57. Earth Neighborhood Productios58. EarthLanka Youth Network
59. ECCEA (Eastern Caribbean Coalition for Environmental Awareness)
60. Ecologistas en Acción
61. EKOenergy ecolabel
62. EmpoderaClima
63. End Fossil Occupy Uganda
64. Environmental Investigation Agency
65. EnviroVision2050
66. European Environmental Bureau
67. Extinction Rebellion Belgium
68. Faith for the Climate
69. Fondation Ensemble
70. Force of Nature
71. Forum for Development and Environment – Norway
72. Fossil Free Wider Caribbean Network
73. Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative
74. Fridays for Future Austria
75. Fridays for Future Berlin
76. Friends of the Earth International
77. Friends of the Earth Malta
78. Fundación Cethus
79. Fundación Renovab
80. Futureswell
81. Gallifrey Foundation
82. Global 2000
83. Global Justice Now
84. Global Shapers Vienna
85. Global Witness
86. Global Youth Coalition
87. Green Balkans NGO
88. Greenpeace International
89. H2Oceanos
90. Here’s The Plan Podcast
91. Iceland Nature Conservation Association
92. Ilhas do Rio Project
93. INITIATIVE2030 – live the goals
94. Inland Ocean Coalition
95. Innovation pour le Développement et la Protection de l’Environnement
96. Institute of Fisheries Management
97. Instituto Brasileiro de Conservação da Natureza – IBRACON
98. Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas
99. International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute
100. International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute
101. Island Innovation
102. Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement
103. Klimabündnis Österreich
104. Klimakultur (NO)
105. legaseas.org
106. Linha Vermelha // Red Line
107. Love The Oceans
108. M.E.E.R.
109. Marilles Foundation110. Marine Connection
111. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
112. Morigenos – Slovenian Marine Mammal Society
113. Mothers Rise Up
114. Movilizatorio
115. Nado Por Las Ballenas A.C. (Swim For the Whales)
116. Natur og Ungdom
117. Natural Justice
118. Naturskyddsföreningen – Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
119. NGO Eco-team
120. NOAH – for animal rights
121. Nordic Center for Sustainable Finance
122. Nuestro Futuro AC
123. Objectif Zéro Plastique
124. Ocean & Climate Platform
125. Ocean Community Challenge Associação
126. Ocean Eye
127. Ocean. Now!
128. Oceana
129. OceanCare
130. Oceania Pride
131. Oceanic Global Foundation
132. Oceanography Malta Research Group (OMRG), Department of Geosciences,
University of Malta, Malta
133. OIKOS – Cooperação e Desenvolvimento
134. Olive Ridley Project
135. ORCA
136. Origami Whales Project
137. Oxford Climate Society
138. Ozeanverantwortung Schweiz
139. Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change
140. Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE)
141. Parents For Future Austria
142. Parents for Future UK
143. Parks- Dinarides- network of protected areas of Dinarides
144. Peace Boat US
145. People and the Sea
146. Planet Wild
147. Plastic Pollution Coalition
148. Positive Ripple Consulting
149. Pro Wildlife
150. Pro-Environnement Benin
151. Protect Blue
152. Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania
153. Quantum Leap Foundation
154. Rapid Transition Alliance
155. Re-Earth Initiative
156. Reclaim Finance
157. Resilient40
158. Rise for Climate Belgium
159. RISE UP
160. Save the Med161. Sciaena
162. Seal Research Trust
163. SeaLegacy
164. Searious Business
165. Seas At Risk
166. Sharklab ADRIA
167. Sharkproject International
168. SHE Changes Climate
169. Siwatibau and Sloan
170. SOS Somos OceanoS
171. Stand.earth
172. StopFinningEU
173. Surfrider Foundation
174. Surfrider Foundation Europe
175. Sustainable Ocean Alliance
176. The Argonauts Collective
177. The ChariTree Foundation
178. The ClimAct Initiative
179. The Climate Reality Project Europe
180. The Green Fix
181. The Joanna Toole Foundation
182. The Last Plastic Straw
183. The Ocean Foundation
184. The Ocean Project
185. Tools For Solidarity
186. TRAFFED-RDC, Asbl/Greenfaith Africa in DR.Congo
187. Tuesdays for Trash
188. UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC)
189. Último Recurso
190. Umoja Empowerment Recourses
191. Under The Pole
192. United for Ocean (UFO)
193. Universal Peace and Violence Amelioration Centre (UPVAC)
194. Uplift
195. Urgewald
196. Waterspirit
197. We, The World Botswana
198. Weald Action Group
199. Wedonthavetime.org
200. Whale and Dolphin Conservation
201. World Ocean Day
202. World’s Youth for Climate Justice
203. Young Researchers of Serbia
204. YOUNGO Ocean’s Voice working group
205. Youth and Environment Europe (YEE)
206. Youth Climate Collaborative
207. Youth Love Egypt Foundation
208. ZERO – Association for the Sustainability of the Earth System