Why the ocean matters
A healthy ocean means a healthy planet
The ocean connects us all — in every breath we take and every drop we drink. It gives us oxygen, food, medicine, and meaning. It regulates our climate and sustains all life on Earth. But it's under serious threat from climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. This guide is here to help you make sense of the challenges — and show how even small actions can create big change.
1
Climate change
Climate change leads to ocean warming, sea-level rise, and increased acidification, affecting marine species distribution and threatening coastal communities worldwide.
2
Overfishing
Excessive fishing disrupts marine ecosystems, depletes fish stocks, and endangers food security for billions who depend on seafood, especially in coastal communities.
3
Plastic pollution
Millions of tons of plastic enter oceans annually, harming marine life through ingestion and entanglement, and impacting human health and economies reliant on clean oceans.
4
Shipping and marine traffic
Increased maritime traffic leads to pollution, noise, and collisions with marine animals, disrupting ecosystems and contributing to ocean degradation.
5
Habitat destruction
Activities like coastal development and bottom trawling destroy vital marine habitats, reducing biodiversity and weakening the ocean's resilience to environmental changes.
6
Ocean acidification
Increased CO₂‚ absorption lowers ocean pH, impairing the ability of marine organisms like corals and shellfish to build shells, disrupting food webs and economies.
7
Coral bleaching
Rising sea temperatures cause corals to expel the algae they rely on, leading to bleaching and increased mortality, which threatens marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of millions globally.
8
Lack of governance
Fragmented and insufficient ocean governance hampers effective management of marine resources, leading to overexploitation and environmental degradation.
9
Coastal erosion / coastal land management
Poor coastal management and rising sea levels accelerate erosion, threatening habitats, infrastructure, and economies in both developed and developing regions.
10
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing
IUU fishing undermines sustainable fisheries, threatens marine ecosystems, and jeopardises the livelihoods of communities dependent on fishing, particularly in the Global South.
Myth busters
Ocean vocabulary
What you can do
But learning is the first step toward action. From making informed choices to speaking up, there are powerful ways we can all help the ocean.