Julian Aguon speaks on ocean governance at United Nations Oceans Conference

Julian Aguon delivered remarks on ocean governance at the 2025 United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, where heads of state, international institutions, civil society, and experts convened to address the protection and sustainable management of the world’s oceans. Aguon participated as a Pacific legal advocate with decades of experience working at the intersection of ocean governance, human rights, and Indigenous law.

Drawing on Blue Ocean Law’s work across Oceania, Aguon emphasized the central role of Indigenous stewardship in shaping lawful and effective ocean governance. He highlighted states’ obligations under international law to protect marine ecosystems and to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples and coastal communities whose cultures, food systems, and livelihoods are inseparable from the ocean.

Aguon also addressed the disproportionate impacts of militarization and industrial ocean uses on small island states, underscoring how extractive and security-driven activities often proceed without meaningful consultation or accountability. He called for governance approaches that are rights-based, participatory, and grounded in the lived realities of ocean-dependent communities.

The conference provided a global platform for advancing collaborative solutions to ocean degradation. Aguon’s participation reflected Blue Ocean Law’s continued commitment to amplifying Pacific voices in international forums and to advancing ocean governance frameworks that align environmental protection with human rights and Indigenous self-determination.