FRENCH PUBLIC STRONGLY BACKS OCEAN PROTECTION AHEAD OF UN SUMMIT, BUT TRUST IN LEADERS LAGS BEHIND

French public strongly backs ocean protection ahead of UN Summit, but trust in leaders lags behind. As the world prepares for the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice 9th-13th June, new polling from France highlights widespread public concern about the state of the global ocean and a strong desire for more ambitious action to protect it. The conference, co-hosted by the governments of France and Costa Rica, aims to accelerate global action to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14).

Widespread Concern for Ocean Health

A significant majority (72 percent) of French respondents believe the global ocean is in crisis, with almost three quarters (74 percent expressing concern about its overall health). These findings reflect growing public awareness of the pressures facing the ocean, from pollution and overfishing to the impacts of climate change.

Strong Support for Government Action, but Trust Lagging Behind

There is clear support for greater government ambition in ocean protection. Nearly 68 percent of respondents agree that protecting the ocean is an important step their government can take as part of broader climate action. Similarly, 68 percent of French people believe their country should strengthen its commitment to ocean protection and 70 percent say countries should cooperate on ocean protection even when they disagree on other issues such as trade or security.

However, the data points to a lack of confidence in leadership to take action. While 74 percent of French respondents think governments should take responsibility for addressing threats to the ocean, only 36 percent trust them to follow through. Trust in industry and big businesses is even lower, with just 34 percent expressing confidence in them acting to protect the ocean, despite 76 percent saying industry and businesses should play a role. The United Nations is seen as an important actor by 66 percent of respondents, though only 39 percent trust it to deliver.

Public Willing to Make Changes

Despite these concerns, the French public appears ready to contribute to the solution and act on a personal level. A combined 71 percent say they would be willing to change their lifestyles in the next year if it would help protect the ocean. Of these, 92 percent say they are prepared to make changes in moderate or big ways.

These results suggest a clear mandate for stronger ocean protection efforts and an opportunity for leadership at UNOC that reflects public concern and willingness to act.

“This polling shows that people care deeply about the ocean and want to see meaningful action, not just from governments, but from all major players,” said Olga Mashkina, ACTeon coordinating the EU4Ocean coalition. “As we head into the UN Ocean Conference, leaders have a real opportunity to respond to public concern with stronger protections for the ocean and to build the trust that is clearly lacking today.”

The France survey, administered by Focaldata and supported by ACTeon and Communications INC, is part of a larger global initiative – the Ocean & Society Survey. A collaborative team of research, communication, and ocean literacy professionals, coordinated by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, aims to administer the survey in 100+ countries by 2030. Insights will contribute to the evidence-base required to design more targeted and impactful ocean campaign and engagement strategies.

• France conducted a survey across all adults ages 18+ and used Focaldata to conduct a poll among a representative sample of the French public.
• Data was collected from a sample of 1045 respondents between 09/05/2025 and 12/05/2025.
• Data was weighted to be representative of the public by age, gender and region.

Focaldata is a registered member of the British Polling Council (BPC) and the Market Research Society (MRS).

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash