The urgency of halting ocean degradation and unlocking the promise of a sustainable blue economy has never been greater. Yet, as the third U.N. Ocean Conference convenes from June 9-13 in Nice, France, this mission unfolds against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tension: great power rivalries, trade disputes, and a fraying rules-based world order are steadily eroding the trust and institutions essential for genuine collaboration.  The very notion of shared destiny and collective goals is