Ahead of the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference (Unoc 3) scheduled for June 9-13, 2025, in Nice, a coalition of a hundred environmental organizations is calling for a ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration.

In an open letter, these organizations urge governments to immediately prohibit any new offshore drilling and to gradually phase out existing fossil fuel extraction, aligning their actions with the Paris Agreement on climate.

The letter, titled 'End Offshore Fossil Fuel Exploration', highlights the alarming trend of billions of dollars still being invested in offshore oil and gas projects, even in protected marine areas, despite scientific calls for an urgent halt.

Notably, the current draft of the final declaration for the Nice summit fails to mention fossil fuels, which are a significant contributor to climate change.

Mariana Gomes, founder of the Portuguese NGO Último Recurso, emphasized Portugal's commitment to climate action, having been the first country to approve a moratorium on deep-sea mining until 2050.

The ocean absorbs 90% of the excess heat generated by human activities, and with record temperatures recorded last year, the threat to marine ecosystems and the acceleration of sea-level rise is more pressing than ever.

Countries like France, Spain, and Portugal have already set a precedent by banning new oil and gas exploration activities, positioning Europe as a potential leader in ocean protection initiatives.

Nicolas Entrup from OceanCare stressed that protecting oceans is crucial for addressing the climate emergency, as healthy seas play a vital role in absorbing heat generated by climate change.

Entrup further argued that ending oil and gas exploration, especially the use of seismic air guns, is essential for saving marine ecosystems and effectively combating the climate crisis.

Environmental advocates insist that the final declaration of Unoc 3 must include a commitment to prohibit further offshore oil exploration and phase out existing extraction activities.

The coalition believes that the UN Ocean Conference represents a critical opportunity to agree on essential measures for marine ecosystem conservation, which is vital for regulating the planet's climate.

In February 2025, French Overseas Minister Manuel Valls expressed a desire to debate banning hydrocarbon exploitation in France, particularly in Guyana, although this was met with opposition from the Minister for Ecological Transition.