Humanity’s future depends on protecting the rapidly changing ocean
However, it has been under duress for some time and going forward faces multiple threats which not only gravely endanger its future health but the future of humanity itself. Some 550 experts from 86 countries have spent almost five years compiling a 1600-page assessment detailing the challenges the ocean faces. This scientific guide delivers the knowledge humankind needs to protect and sustain the planet.It’s called the World Ocean Assessment, and here’s what those 1600 pages reveal.The ocean matters to everyone, everywhereThe ocean shapes everyone’s daily life even if they do not live in coastal zones. It stabilizes the climate by absorbing most of the planet’s excess heat as well as damaging greenhouse gases. Without its cooling effect, more extreme weather can be expected which will threaten food systems and supply chains, and insurance markets. It serves as food supply. When fish stocks collapse or supply chains break due to climate impacts or illegal fishing, prices rise, not just for seafood, but for many foods that rely on global trade and coastal economies. It provides mental and physical health benefits, medicines, and a significant share of breathable oxygen.The ocean supports trillions of dollars in global trade, tourism, and jobs. The ocean is under intensifying stress Humans are reshaping marine ecosystems. The global population reached 8.2 billion in 2024, with 37 per cent of those people living within 100 km of the coast.
