The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) will be held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.
The overarching theme of the Conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”. The Conference, comprising an opening segment, 10 plenary sessions, 10 Ocean Action Panels and a closing segment, aims to support further and urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and identify further ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14. The official programme for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference will take place in the Blue Zone, alongside “on-site side events”, with further “off-site” side events supporting the agenda.
On the sidelines of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, Nice will be host a rich 12-day agenda of events and celebrations, bringing together the Ocean community and Civil Society with a common goal – to mobilise ambition to achieve SDG14. A critical component of this agenda is the ‘La Baleine’ (The Whale) – an immersive, free and open-to-all space of convergence between the general public and the global ocean community. At this occasion, ICRI and Partners will host the #ForCoral Pavilion from 2 – 13 June. Additionally, multiple events will take place throughout the city throughout the UNOC agenda.
As the International Coral Reef Initiative, coral reefs must remain top of the agenda at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. Recognising the continuation of the 4th Global Bleaching Event – the most widespread and severe bleaching event on record – coral reefs must be given a voice. To aid in the continued advocacy #ForCoral, this page provides an overview of coral reef events occurring throughout the 2025 UN Ocean Conference agenda, including events within the official 2025 UN Ocean Conference venue (the Blue Zone), La Baleine (the Whale), and off-site events.
If you wish to add an event, please contact us here.
(Last updated: 23/05/2025).
Coral reef events
Women Actions for the Ocean
Location: Centre Universitaire Mediterranean – 65 Promenade des Analgais, Nice, France
Time: 10:45 – 12:00
Organised by: Paul Ricard Oceanographic Institute, La Saison Bleue, the Ocean & Climate Platform, Women for Sea
Learn more and register here
Paving the way to solve the global coral crisis
Location: Medusa Room, La Baleiene
Time: 14:45 – 15:30
Organised by: CORDAP, Global Fund for Coral Reefs, International Coral Reef Society, International Coral Reef Initiative
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The role of DNA sequencing technologies in advancing ocean conservation and biodiversity goals
Location: Room 4, Blue Zone
Time: 17:30 – 18:45
Lead Organisation: Saudi Arabia National Center for Wildlife, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Organising partners: Ocean Census, Ocean X, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Global Coral R&D Accelerator Platform, Kyungpook National University South Korea
Marine-Coastal Ecosystems as Pillars of the Blue Economy: Conservation and Sustainable Development Strategies in Colombia and LAC
Location: Room 4, Blue Zone
Time: 14:00 – 15:15
Lead Organisation: Colombia
Organising partners: MAR Fund, Mesoamerica, Global Fund for Coral Reefs, International Coral Reef Initiative
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Protecting Climate-Resilient Coral Reefs: A High-Level Commitment
Location: Room 1, Blue Zone
Time: 15:45 – 17:00
Lead Organisations: Papua New Guinea; Wildlife Conservation Society
Organising partners:
- Member states: Government of Brazil, Government of Fiji, Government of France, Government of Madagascar, Government of Panama, Government of Papua New Guinea, Government of The Philippines, Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, Government of the United Republic of Tanzania – Zanzibar semi-autonomous region.
- Organisations: Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, CNRS Coral Triangle Initiative Coral Reef Rescue Initiative Earth Commission, Future Earth and Global Commons Alliance Fonds Français pour l’environnement mondial, Agence Française De Développement, Global Change Institute, (GCI), Wits University Global Environment Facility (GEF), Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), Ocean Breakthroughs (Ocean & Climate Platform), Office français de la biodiversité (OBF), Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), World Bank, World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Coral Reefs and People: Honouring Culture and Advancing Conservation Action for the Pacific Islands
Location: Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée
Time: 07:00 – 09:30
Hosted by: International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and The Pacific Community (SPC)
By invite only – please register your interest to attend by June 2nd at the latest.
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Indonesia Coral Bond, the world’s first outcome bond for marine biodiversity
Location: Room 3, Blue Zone
Time: 14:00 – 15:15
Lead Organisation: Indonesia
Organising partners: World Bank, Global Environment Facility, BNP Paribas, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA) Coral Restoration activities
Location: Room 5, Blue Zone
Time: 14:00 – 15:15
Lead Organisation: Seychelles
Organising partner: Seychelles Blue Economy Department
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Coral in Focus: Collaboration & Innovation for Ocean Restoration
Location: Register to See Address
Time: 17:00 – 19:00
Organised by: Ocean House
Hosted by: Samsung, in collaboration with SeaTrees
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Closing Nightcap: Coral Rave
Location: Register to See Address
Time: 21:00 – 00:30
Organised by: Ocean House
Hosted by: Sustainable Ocean Alliance
The Status and Trends of Coral Reefs in the Pacific: 2024 – A Call to Action for Pacific Islands and People
Location: Room 1, Blue Zone
Time: 08:45 – 10:00
Lead Organisation: International Coral Reef Initiative
Organising partners: Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean; Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP); The National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS); Government of French Polynesia; Principality of Monaco; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN); The General Organisation for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Sea Turtles in the Red Sea (SHAMS); UN Environment Programme (UNEP); Government of Sweden; Initiative Française pour les Recifs Coralliens (IFRECOR); Ministry of the Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Government of France; Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR).
Event webpage: https://icriforum.org/events/pacific-unoc-2025/
Scaling blue economy solutions through sustainable finance innovation: The Coral Bond
Location: Room 2, Blue Zone
Time: 12:15 – 13:30
Lead Organisation: BNP Paribas
#ForCoral Pavilion Events
ICRI is pleased to announce the #ForCoral Pavilion at UNOC-3. This critical space for coral reefs will be located at La Baleine (The Whale), in the Palais des Expositions, in Nice (France) from 2 – 13 June 2025. The pavilion is supported by SHAMS, Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR). It will bring together coral reef champions, policymakers, change-makers and Indigenous peoples, alongside investors, and conservation experts from around the world to spotlight bold action and amplify awareness of the vital role healthy coral reefs play in sustaining ocean and planetary health.
