37 Countries Commit to Tackling ‘Invisible Yet Powerful Threat’ of Ocean Noise Pollution

The world’s ocean has become dangerously polluted — not just by plastics, chemicals and sewage, but by noise.

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice on Tuesday, a coalition of ministers from 37 countries — led by Panama and Canada — launched an effort to reduce the underwater noise pollution that harms marine biodiversity and ecosystems.

In a new declaration, the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean committed to the advancement of including noise reduction protocols and quieter shipping designs in their marine protected areas (MPAs).

Underwater noise pollution comes from multiple sources, with negative impacts to marine life. The continuous din of cargo vessels and other human activities interferes with ocean creatures’ ability to navigate, communicate and find food.

“Too often, the issue of ocean noise has been sidelined in global environmental discourse,” said Juan Carlos Navarro, Panama’s minister of environment, in a press release from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “With this coalition, we are committing to act decisively to protect marine biodiversity from this invisible yet powerful threat.”

Underwater ocean noise negatively impacts marine mammals by disrupting their abilities to communicate, feed, mate, and migrate. Global leaders have launched the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean to protect marine life.

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— NRDC (@nrdc.org) June 10, 2025 at 3:45 PM

The constant underwater cacophony has been growing at an alarming rate, according to marine conservation groups.

Many marine animals like dolphins and whales rely on sound to communicate, navigate and hunt by using clicks and whistles.

“Human noise pollution is drowning out these vital sounds,” said Carlos Bravo of marine conservation group OceanCare, as AFP reported.

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Construction noise from offshore industries, the whirring propellers of cargo ships and sonar from navy vessels all emit sounds that have the ability to travel great distances underwater, WWF said.

Beluga whales are able to detect sounds made by icebreaking ships as far as 52 miles away, causing them to panic and flee.

The coalition said global efforts to reduce noise pollution in the world’s ocean “have been limited and fragmented.”

“Ocean noise is a global issue that requires ambitious global cooperation. Through this coalition, we are demonstrating Canada’s commitment to international leadership on ocean conservation and inviting our partners to join us in restoring a quieter, healthier ocean for future generations,” said Stéphane Dion, Canadian ambassador to France and Monaco, speaking on behalf of Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s transportation and internal trade minister, in the press release.

The declaration outlined a far-reaching agenda that includes advancing quieter ship operations and design through new International Maritime Organization (IMO) policies; considering measures to reduce noise when creating and managing MPAs; implementing solutions for reducing vessel noise and other impacts of the shipping industry on sensitive marine wildlife; and supporting capacity-building through shared technologies and tools like those from the IMO GloNoise Partnership.

“We will not be able to meet our goals to protect marine biodiversity and ocean health without tackling the rising tide of ocean noise pollution,” said Regan Nelson, NRDC senior ocean advocate, in the press release. “The launch of the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean marks a long-overdue turning point. Governments around the world are coming together to shine a spotlight on this significant threat and commit to meaningful action. This is a powerful step toward restoring a healthier, quieter ocean.”

The countries in the coalition are Austria, Belgium, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Malta, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Uruguay.

Bravo said the newly established coalition had taken a “crucial step towards giving marine life back their voice in the blue planet’s symphony,” as reported by AFP.