#OceanAction: Athletes, Architects, and Advocates Unite for Ocean Protection at UN Summit
- Romy Kraus
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
How Sports, Sailing, and Creative Design Drove Impact at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice
As the world gathered in Nice for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), a powerful undercurrent ran through the formal negotiations and policy commitments: the growing influence of athletes, sailors, artists, and designers in shaping the future of ocean action.
From Olympic sailing champions to grassroots surf activists, from cutting-edge architectural collectives to data-powered ocean pavilions, this year’s summit highlighted how diverse communities are mobilizing creativity, culture, and sport to defend the planet's most precious resource.
Sports for the Sea: Athletes as Ocean Advocates
One of the most dynamic sessions at UNOC3, "The Power of Sport as a Key Convenor," brought together professional athletes, scientists, and campaigners to highlight sport as a global amplifier for ocean awareness. Moderated by Jeremy Pochman, co-founder of 11th Hour Racing, the session showcased how elite competition is being used as a platform for science and public engagement.
"More people follow sports than science. We need to flip that visibility into understanding and action," said Pochman.
Olympic gold medallists and America's Cup winners Peter Burling and Blair Tuke spoke candidly about how their time at sea inspired them to launch Live Ocean, a foundation supporting marine science and policy.
"Racing through remote oceans, you see firsthand what's happening. That makes it real, and it drives us to speak up," said Tuke.
Other initiatives showcased included Sports for Nature, led by IUCN, with athletes committing to become biodiversity ambassadors. One footballer famously chose jersey number "2" to spark conversation about the 2°C climate goal.
The Ocean Race: Sailing as a Science and Advocacy Platform
Representatives from The Ocean Race unveiled a powerful suite of initiatives showing how sailing can combine adventure, science, and policy advocacy. In the latest race edition, yachts gathered over 4 million ocean data points, with sensors tracking CO2, temperature, and salinity in some of the most remote regions on Earth.
"The Ocean Race is no longer just a competition. It's a global platform for marine science and sustainability," said Race Chairman Richard Brisius.
They also announced The Ocean Race Europe 2025, which will include a stopover in Nice, linking the event to the legacy of UNOC3.
In a corporate roundtable co-hosted with Volvo Cars and Friends of Ocean Action, industry leaders explored how to scale business contributions to marine restoration, including investments in circular economy, plastic reduction, and ocean-friendly transport.
Surfing for Change: The Surfrider Universal Swim
Surfrider Foundation Europe, founded by surfers 30 years ago, organized a high-impact event before the official start of the conference: the Great Universal Swim. Dozens of swimmers formed an "SOS" and an "O" in the Mediterranean to call attention to marine pollution and climate change.
Participants included free-diving champion Guillaume Néry and underwater photographer Greg Lecoeur. Their collective message: the ocean is not a backdrop, but a living world we must defend.
The New European Bauhaus at Sea: Creative Coastal Regeneration
Europe’s flagship cultural sustainability initiative, the New European Bauhaus (NEB), found powerful expression through the Bauhaus of the Seas Sails project. Highlighted in the EU's new European Ocean Pact, this lighthouse initiative connects coastal communities, architects, and scientists to reimagine public space and restore marine ecosystems.
"We’re blending beauty, sustainability, and inclusion to reshape how people live with the sea," said one project architect.
Demonstration projects are already underway in Portugal, Italy, and Slovenia, transforming ports and waterfronts into spaces that filter water, foster biodiversity, and bring citizens into direct contact with marine issues.
Digital Oceans: The EU Pavilion Experience
One of the most visited public spaces during the conference was the EU's immersive Digital Ocean Pavilion, dubbed "La Baleine." Inside, visitors interacted with the Digital Twin of the Ocean, running climate change scenarios, tracking marine species, and exploring Europe’s satellite and sensor network.
Structured around the themes Inspire, Engage, and Decide, this initiative is designed to support education, planning, and policy through open-access digital tools. It reflects the NEB’s ambition to merge high tech and high empathy in the pursuit of sustainable futures.
Art for Ocean's Sake: Exhibitions and Cultural Engagement
The TBA21-Academy, founded by Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, brought art into the center of the policy conversation, hosting a roundtable on cultural transformation and ocean literacy. Meanwhile, Prince Hussain Aga Khan exhibited striking underwater photography, contrasting beauty with vulnerability.
"We don’t protect what we don’t emotionally connect with. Art can be the missing piece," said a TBA21 curator.
How to Get Involved
If you're inspired to act, here are ways to engage:
Join Live Ocean (www.liveocean.com) to support marine conservation campaigns.
Follow The Ocean Race Summits for upcoming dialogues between sailors, scientists, and citizens.
Explore Bauhaus of the Seas and participate in local pilot projects (www.bauhaus-seas.eu).
Become a Surfrider member or organize a local cleanup (www.surfrider.eu).
Engage with EU4Ocean and the Digital Ocean Twin to bring ocean data into your school or community.
The 2025 UN Ocean Conference showed that defending the ocean isn't just the domain of ministers or scientists. It's a movement powered by athletes, creatives, young people, and anyone with salt in their soul. If the waves of Nice proved anything, it's that the tide of ocean protection is rising—and it's carrying all of us with it.
