The third United Nations Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, opened in Nice this week with a urgent call to accelerate global efforts to protect marine ecosystems. Against a backdrop of rising ocean temperatures and biodiversity loss, Costa Rica's delegation is spotlighting its pioneering conservation models as blueprints for international collaboration.
Known for its lush rainforests, Costa Rica also shelters some of the world's most biodiverse marine habitats. The Cocos Island Marine Protected Area – often called the 'Galápagos of Central America' – hosts 1,300 marine species, including endangered hammerhead sharks and green sea turtles. Along both Pacific and Caribbean coasts, the nation has expanded protected zones covering 30% of its territorial waters since 2020.
'Our marine corridors serve as underwater highways for migratory species,' explained Costa Rican Environment Minister Franz Tattenbach during a panel discussion. 'By connecting protected areas across national boundaries, we're creating climate resilience networks critical for food security and coastal economies.'
The conference comes as Asian nations increasingly collaborate on transboundary marine initiatives. Recent partnerships between Southeast Asian countries mirror Costa Rica's approach to balancing ecological preservation with sustainable fisheries – a model gaining traction among developing coastal states.
