Remarks by Commissioner Hoekstra at the High Ambition for the High Seas UNGA event

Ladies and gentlemen,

As the Commissioner for Climate Action, it's an honour to participate in this High Seas event. It's vital we recognise the major role oceans play in our climate system. We simply cannot achieve our climate goals without taking good care of our oceans.

I am heartened to hear the many commitments made here today. This is such an important signal that underlines the broad global support for the Treaty of the High Seas. It reflects a common understanding that we must urgently address the challenges the Ocean are facing. Challenges that humankind has brought to bear.

And yet we have such limited knowledge of the deep sea and the major ecosystems and services it delivers. Just this summer, scientists discovered that some of the nodules found in the deep sea appear to act like a geobattery: they actually generate oxygen in the deep.

Just a year ago, here in New York, we celebrated the opening for signature of the Treaty of the High Seas. Together with the Heads of State and government and Ministers from around the world, the EU then committed to help ensure that this new Treaty would attain the 60 ratifications needed to enter into force by the 2025 UNOC Conference.

I am very pleased to announce today that the EU has managed to keep its promise.

We have completed the European Union's ratification process. We are ready to deposit the ratification instrument, together with the EU Member States, before the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.

We are calling on others to ratify the agreement as soon as possible, so it can quickly enter into force.

I am also pleased to announce that we are delivering on another EU promise for the High Seas as we have adopted the funding decision of an EU Global Ocean Programme, for 40 million euros over 6 years.

We are now working to set up the programme's first deliverable: a technical assistance facility dedicated to supporting the national efforts of developing countries in the conservation and sustainable use of the high seas, including efforts to ratify and implement the Treaty.

I look forward to working closely with you to protect our oceans, and I thank you for your attention.