COVID-19 and the Oceans
By Ben Kickert
When many think of COVID-19 and the oceans, their thoughts turn to beach restrictions or perhaps the numerous infections stemming from the cruise industry. However, the influence of the disease on maritime life and industry goes far beyond the direct health impact. This is particularly true when we view it through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals. Here we will discuss how the coronavirus pandemic and the global response to it is affecting SDG 14 — Life Below Water — and the economies that rely on it.
ESCAP Report Plots Short-term Impact and Provides Path for Moving Forward
On May 13th, The UN’s Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) released their report: Changing Sails: Accelerating Regional Actions for Sustainable Oceans in Asia and the Pacific. At the launch of the report, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Head of ESCAP was quoted saying:
“During these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to take advantage of the window of opportunity offered by reduced emissions and energy demand to protect the marine environment.”
While some see the COVID-19 pandemic as a chance to press the reset button on many aspects of the Global Goals, the reality is that those working in marine sectors have already seen direct impact in the short term.
“The recent COVID-19 pandemic has led to a temporary shutdown of industrial activities, closing schools and other institutions, significantly reducing transport and human mobility worldwide. This has resulted in a substantial reduction in pollution. The outbreak is providing an opportunity for fish stocks to recover, and more generally to promote more resilient and sustainable practices. For instance, China experienced a reduction of CO2 emissions by at least 25 per cent during February 2020, potentially saving thousands of lives by curbing air pollution (Burke, 2020). Such indicators show that decisive action taken by governments can have an immediate positive effect on global challenges, such as climate change and the plight of the oceans.”
The report stresses the need “to strengthen national statistical systems for collecting ocean data and enforcing the international conventions, norms and standards for maritime shipping, sustainable fisheries and marine pollution.” These foci under-gird the work associated with SDG14.
The official report release coincided with a widely syndicated OpEd by Executive Secretary Alisjahbana, outlining the tangible importance of marine protection.
Improvements for Marine Life
The decrease in global activity related to the pandemic has provided a unique opportunity for marine life to rebound. Improvements in air quality around the world have been well documented. This positive rebound has also been seen in the world’s water ways. Forbes outlined six places where aquatic life has improved from horseshoe crabs in the Chesapeake Bay to otters in Malaysia.
Marine creatures have also benefited from quieter waters. Reduction in water traffic has lead to a 25% decrease in man-made noises which has increased scientist’s ability to research creatures such as whales and dolphins. It has also been proposed that this decrease will help restore migratory routes and allow some fish and sea mammals to return to areas previously abandoned.
Effects on Fishing and the Marine Economy
With 60% of the SDG14 indicators directly tied to fisheries and protected ecosystems, it is no surprise that global disruptions are having an effect. The state of Alaska is considering closing the salmon season, while Iceland has announced that it won’t conduct whale hunts this year.
While decreases in the amount of fishing allowed may help with marine population regeneration and reduce the risk of over fishing, the potential for regulation rollback may leave oceans less protected when economies return to normal. Under pressure from industry leaders, President Trump issued an executive order reducing regulations on fishing.
Challenges faced by the “Blue Economy” and those involved in it’s $2.5 trillion footprint are far reaching, but also offer an opportunity for sustainable development, notes the World Economic Forum. It lists 8 ocean economy-related focus areas that have the potential for great improvement:
- Blue Economy investment
- Reduction in shipping emissions
- Increase in fish populations
- Support for mariners and the services they provide
- Increase in protection for ocean parks
- Focus on “sea farming”
- Digitization of ocean information
- Focus on marine pollution
In addition, the article’s authors, who are ocean experts across sectors, remark that:
“COVID-19 has exposed just how profoundly linked our economies and wellbeing are to the ocean. These actions illustrate the need to inject more blue into COVID-19 discussions of ‘green recovery’. We cannot miss a chance in the times ahead to benefit both people and our ocean as we bring our sustainable blue economy back online.”
Mixed Messages for Plastic
The issue of plastics finding their way into the ocean has been a hot topic in the past year. But what effect has COVID-19 had on the problem? Despite the essential role plastics play in disposal personal protective equipment (PPE), some are raising concerns about how the increased use may eventually hurt the oceans.
The World Economic Forum has noted that infection control protocols have increased utilization of single-use plastic products, especially related to protective equipment. In addition to the increased use of plastics for hygiene issues, disruptions in recycling may lead to more waste ending up in the oceans. The risk to waste workers is particularly troubling. Additionally, companies who are monitoring their profits may be forced to cut plastic reduction efforts.
In a recently published article, Forbes states:
“Some members of the plastics industry are taking advantage of the fear and uncertainty around the pandemic to push suspensions or rollbacks of hard-won environmental measures to reduce plastic pollution. They’re claiming ‘an abundance of caution’ as the reason to reinstate widespread use of single-use plastic bags.”
As oceans are the final resting place for much plastic waste, those monitoring the oceans have a right to be concerned.
With the coronavirus pandemic affecting nearly every sector of the globe, we are finding oceans face a unique mix of challenges and opportunities. Only time will tell if these changes are short-term or if the effects will last for years to come.
Ben Kickert has worked in international development and data analytics for 15 years. He currently works as a consultant providing insights around the Sustainable Development Goals and Impact Investing.
