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General Assembly Plenary (Concurrent) 2026

The General Assembly Plenary considers issues that are best addressed in a comprehensive manner or that require coordinating work between many bodies of the United Nations. The Plenary has the widest latitude of the deliberative bodies to discuss and pass resolutions on a wide variety of topics. For example, the 60th General Assembly established a Peacebuilding Commission that oversees the United Nations peacebuilding processes and coordinates the work of the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretary-General and Member States emerging from conflict situations. Note: if the Security Council, which is given the primary task of ensuring peace and security by the Charter, is discussing a particular issue, the General Assembly Plenary will cease its own deliberations and defer to the Security Council. Additionally, only the Fifth Committee is able to set or discuss the United Nations budget. No other body, including the Plenary, is able to do so.

Topic I: Our ocean, our future, our responsibility

The ocean is an integral system for humanity, both as a major source of oxygen and food and the cultural and economic benefits it provides. However, habitat loss, ocean acidification and ecosystem degradation all threaten the health of the ocean. The United Nations’ declaration of “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility” in 2022 reinforced the need to protect the ocean and strengthened the international commitment towards that goal. With all States—even landlocked ones—contributing to the threats facing the ocean while benefiting from its resources, it is the responsibility of the global community to safeguard the ocean and ensure it remains a resource for generations to come.

Interest in ocean preservation began in the late 1960s as advances in technology allowed further utilization of the ocean and its resources. The first formal action was in 1972 when the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, also known as the London Convention. This convention was one of the first international efforts to address man-made maritime environmental issues and has 87 Member States as Parties. Ten years later, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was created as a comprehensive treaty for oceans. Also in 1992, Brazil hosted the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the ‘Earth Summit.’ The Earth Summit introduced sustainable development as an achievable goal and fostered cooperation between governments and their citizens to pursue sustainability in development. The London Convention was later updated in 1996 —when it  became known as the London Protocol— and created a comprehensive outline regarding dumping beyond the London Convention and embracing precautionary measures, including fully prohibited waste dumping.

With the turn of the millennium, the United Nations created the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including environmental sustainability, that were intended to be achieved in fifteen years. In 2015, the MDGs were succeeded by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through Sustainable Development Goal 14 “Life Below Water,” the United Nations pushes for comprehensive solutions to environmental problems, especially aquatic environments. No further major oceanic developments were made until 2022, where representatives worldwide convened in Lisbon, Portugal at the United Nations Ocean Conference to address these pressing issues. This meeting, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, led to the adoption of a declaration titled, “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility,” which emphasized the need for collective action to protect the oceans, ensuring that they remain healthy for future generations. The conference and declaration focused on fighting pollution, bringing resources to small fisheries and increasing research development of marine technologies.

By the end of 2023, 59 States had reported using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas, and almost all regions made significant progress in measuring the use of ecosystem-based management. Progress had been uneven across different regions and States because of differences in capacity, resources, governance structures and environmental challenges. In June 2025, Nice, France hosted the United Nations Ocean Conference, which produced the Nice Ocean Action Plan—a two-part framework consisting of a political declaration, “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility”,  and over 800 voluntary commitments by governments, scientists, UN agencies and civil society.

Since the 2025 Ocean Conference, the United Nations has focused on raising monetary support for ocean conservation, science and sustainable fishing and repairing damages to the ocean and preventing further harm. Several Member States have also made individual commitments. For example, French Polynesia pledged to create the world’s largest marine protected area and Germany launched a programme to remove underwater munitions from the Baltic and North Seas. Additionally, multilateral coalitions have developed measures to strengthen oceanic governance and reduce marine noise pollution.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

  • What specific national interests or industries depend on the ocean’s resources, and how should these interests be balanced with conservation efforts?
  • What partnerships or regional agreements could strengthen capacity to protect the ocean?
  • How should the responsibility for ocean protection be shared between coastal, island, and landlocked countries?
  • What should be prioritized: economic benefits, environmental protection, or social and cultural ties to the ocean—and how can these be balanced?
  • What role should the UN play in holding States and private actors accountable for activities that damage marine environments?

Bibliography

United Nations Documents