From the 9-13th of June 2025, the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) will be held in Nice, France. Discussions about climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss in oceans will bring together governments, NGOs, scientists, activists… and Electra Delavogia, a postgraduate student at Kellogg College, Oxford. 

Electra’s passion for environmental activism began during her Master’s degree at Oxford; her historical research focused on the environmental and ecological impacts of British colonialism and war in Mauritius and the Seychelles. This unlocked her interest in sustaining biodiversity and ocean health, and discovering all the ways that environmental policy, economics, and science are intertwined.

When she is not studying, Electra works in Greece as a journalist and as the Scientific Advisor to Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou, who is the Greek Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for the Ocean. These demanding roles have opened the door for Electra’s involvement in the UN Ocean Conference. 

The conference will spotlight the implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, a landmark treaty for protecting marine biodiversity in areas beyond national borders. It is also designing an international framework to help tackle plastic pollution. Finally, the delegates will discuss ways to uphold the UN’s 14th Sustainable Development Goal, which reads: “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

“The conference is mainly focused on ocean health and the blue economy”, Electra said. The “blue economy” is a term used by economists to refer to the use and development of ocean resources for economic gain. More and more organisations are focusing on the importance of sustainable marine development, so that the planet as well as the “blue economy” can thrive. “You need to have a balance (between environmental idealism and economic practicality) and try to understand both sides and find solutions that will do both things.” The UNOC will aim to make appropriate international policies that are practical, co-ordinated and applicable to all states; according to Electra, these are the only rules that will work in international waters.

As well as diplomatic ocean regulation, the conference will also host a number of “side events”, which Electra is heavily involved in organising. These include the announcement of a new platform for young people and early career professionals called the Coalition for Emerging Ocean Leaders (CEOL). “This coalition aims to accelerate inclusive ocean governance, strengthening youth capacity”, Electra said.

Electra is passionate about empowering young people to contribute to discussions on the international stage. She emphasised the importance of facilitating inter-generational and cross-continental collaboration in service of the oceans. “Young people have new ideas and provide good insights, perspectives, and voices that aren’t heard.”

She is also amazed by the varied origins of the youth delegates she connects with. “It is very nice and interesting to see people getting involved from different places all over the world, from countries I didn’t even know existed!” 

But there is still a long way to go. A lot of the delegates whom Electra interacts with are “definitely under-represented, either from smaller communities or just youth in general”. People from these backgrounds often struggle to find funding to travel and get accreditation so that they can attend conferences like the UNOC. “That is something that needs to be improved, especially for youth,” she said.

With that being said, Electra’s advice to young people who want to be involved in discussions around sustainable development is: “Don’t be afraid to take the first step and, say, send an email or a reply to a post… participate, explore new opportunities, don’t be afraid to go out there and start from somewhere.” Indeed, this is how she came to work for Dr. Avgerinopoulou, who she interviewed for a newspaper article. “We got along very well, so I started working with her in her office. I was writing things for her, going to her office, having meetings with her, etcetera, so that’s actually how I’m attending the UN conference!” 

Voices like Electra Delavogia’s remind us that the journey towards meaningful change begins with a single step, as she amplifies the power of youth engagement and cross-disciplinary action in addressing some of the planet’s most urgent challenges.