Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On February 6, 2025, MEPs on the Committee on Environment, Climate and Food Safety met with EU Commissioner Kadis for an exchange of views.
The ENVI Committee (Committee on Environment, Climate and Food Safety) met today and discussed current challenges and further steps to protect oceans.
MEPs engaged in an exchange of views with European Commissioner Costas Kadis, responsible for Fisheries and Oceans, who explained that to fight climate change and address biodiversity loss, coherence across policy areas is key. He also expanded on the Oceans Pact, a work in progress by the Commission to protect oceans’ health, increase competitive and sustainable blue economy and support coastal communities.
MEPs raised concerns over the concrete feasibility of these ideas.
“When we talk about the oceans we’ve been hearing the good speeches for years, but the action has been lacking,” said Rasmus Nordqvist from the Group of the Greens. The MEP asked for a clarification on the concrete steps that the Commission will take and on the agenda for the UN Ocean Conference.
Kadis replied that consultations with all stakeholders are necessary prior to a full answer.
Preparing for the UN Ocean Conference
Between June 9 and June 13, France and Costa Rica will co-host the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. The event will take place in Nice, France, and this year’s theme is working faster and together to conserve and sustainably use the ocean. The goal is to bring the involved parties in the sector together and work on a plan to make ocean-based economies more sustainable.
Commissioner Kadis underlined how the summit is a good opportunity to emphasize and showcase the EU and its member states’ commitment to this matter. In preparation of the Conference, the Commission is also working on a legislative framework for the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), made with the support of the United Nation.
BBNJ is an international pact signed by EU Commission President Von der Leyen in September 2023 on behalf of the European Union. The agreement sets specific goals, including the establishment of large-scale marine protected areas and clear rules of conduct to preserve biodiversity in the high seas.
Kadis announced that the next Commission’s goal is to ratify a legal framework for BBNJ in June before the conference to reaffirm Europe’s devotion and dedication to protect and responsibly use the oceans.
Fighting climate change on an international level
On an international level, the European Commission remains committed to fighting climate change. Commissioner Kadis reaffirmed that the Commission aims at reducing pollution from old vessels and plastic and it’s ready to discuss further steps with the Polish presidency as well.
A global agreement on plastic would be a truly historical achievement.
At the same time, not all countries in the international arena are on the same page. The United States, for example, recently withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. MEP Mathilde Androuet, member of the Patriots of Europe group, asked the Commissioner what the point of engaging in such restrictions is if, meanwhile, “the US and China will do what they want.”
MEP Catarina Martins from the Left group also highlighted the importance of bringing these discussions to an international level, to avoid that products and practices banned by the EU will then be exported from countries that do not respect these standards.
