The top 10 things you need to know about the state of our oceans and what we can do to save them
This year, the UN will hold its first Oceans Conference at its Headquarters in New York from 5–9 June. It’s the first time that Member States hold a conference focusing only on how to protect and sustainably manage our oceans.
I’ve been working on this issue for a few months now and it has made me realize just how much we take oceans for granted, and how much we (and by ‘we’ I mean governments, businesses, and regular citizens) need to do to protect them. Here’s why:
- We are all affected by the oceans — even if we don’t live by the sea. 40% of people in the world live within 100 kilometers of the ocean coast, but even if you don’t have a direct connection with the ocean, it still affects the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the food you eat. At the same time, the ocean serves as a vast superhighway for global trade and communications and as a source for minerals that are used in household and industrial products.
- Marine phytoplankton produces 50 per cent of oxygen on Earth. These tiny creatures are responsible for half of the air we breathe: isn’t that enough to want to keep oceans clean and healthy?
- The ocean powers many economies, but its resources are drying up.
- Fisheries and aquaculture contribute $100 billion per year and about 260 million jobs to the global economy.
- Shipping is responsible for more than 90% of trade between countries.
- The global oceans-based economy is estimated at USD 3 trillion a year, which is around 5% of global GDP.
- Approximately 50% of all international tourists travel to coastal areas. In some developing countries, notably small islands, tourism can account for over 25% of their GDP.
4. We love to eat fish, but we’re also poisoning our seafood. Fish is one of our most important sources of animal protein. It accounts for about 17% of global protein consumption and exceeds 50% in many least-developed countries. But marine pollution is contaminating the seafood we eat.
We’re also consuming more fish than there is supply. The Food and Agriculture Organization reports that nearly 70% of the world’s fish stocks are now fully fished, overfished or depleted.
5. We have a problem with plastic and it is literally filling up the ocean.
- More than 8 million tonnes of plastic leak into the ocean each year, equal to dumping a garbage truck of plastic every minute.
- As many as 51 trillion microplastic particles — 500 times more than the stars in our galaxy — litter our seas, seriously threatening marine wildlife.
- At the rate we are dumping items such as plastic bottles, bags and cups after a single use, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.
- Plastic waste kills up to 1 million seabirds, 100,000 sea mammals and countless fish each year.
6. Climate change is affecting the oceans. Oceans have absorbed about 93% of the combined extra heat stored by warmed air, sea, land, and melted ice in polar regions between 1971 and 2010. This has led to an accelerated sea level rise increase. When the sea level increases, many coastal communities face erosion, floods, contaminations of freshwater reserves and food crops, and loss of nesting beaches, among other effects.
The potential costs associated with coastal damage due to sea level rise could be as high as $111.6 billion by 2050 and $367.2 billion by the end of the century. So basically, climate change is expensive.
7. But the oceans are helping us tackle climate change. Oceans have absorbed 30% of carbon dioxide (CO2)sent by humans into the atmosphere. But this has come at a cost. This absorption is having a significant effect on the chemistry of seawater, which is becoming more acidic with dire consequences for the marine ecosystems. Coral reefs in particular are very sensitive to ocean acidification, with 60% of them currently threatened, a number that will rise to 90%by 2030 and about 100% by 2050.
8. We should not give up because we have solutions to save our oceans. While the state of the oceans may seem dire, we must focus on the already existing solutions to the many challenges it faces: from supporting sustainable fishing, to reducing carbon emissions and implementing more efficient waste management systems.
9. It’s in the interest of governments to protect this resource. A healthy ocean means citizens can have a sustainable future and countries know this. 193 of them adopted the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 and while the ocean affects many of these goals, there is one goal that specifically talks about what countries will do to protect it. At the Ocean Conference, countries will discuss how to achieve this goal and are also encouraged to submit voluntary commitments to show they are walking the talk.
10. As citizens we can do SO much. The good news is that we don’t have to live by the ocean to do something about it! A few changes in our everyday lives can have a big impact on the oceans and we can start doing things differently right now.
Some of the things we can do:
- Much of the waste that we produce on land ends up in the oceans. Be conscious of this waste and make an effort to reduce the waste you produce, and reuse and recycle whenever you can.
- Use reusable straws, this way you can ensure they don’t make their way to any sea creatures. If you are a business, provide reusable containers and stop the use of plastic straws.
- Bring your own bag when you shop. Pass on the plastic bag and start carrying your own reusable totes.
- If you live in a coastal area, volunteer for beach cleanups and spread awareness about the cost of marine litter.
- If you have the chance to visit a beach, appreciate its beauty and ensure you don’t disturb its harmony and creatures.
For more tips on how to protect our oceans visit:
*Sources: UN Environment Programme, UN Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
