The health of our oceans is declining at an alarming rate due to climate change and human activities. Issues like water acidification, pollution, and overfishing threaten both nature and humans. This June, the international community will meet at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon to address these threats.
Environmental groups are pushing for a global goal to protect at least 30% of marine habitats by 2030, emphasizing the importance of strong protection for ecosystems where harmful activities would be banned.
Oceans cover 70% of our planet and are incredibly important, providing us with oxygen, food, climate regulation, and being home to 80% of Earth’s life. However, our oceans are becoming warmer, more acidic, and contain less oxygen. Sea levels are rising, and combined with overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction, marine biodiversity is suffering.
Pollution is a significant problem, with plastic making up 85% of marine litter and posing a severe risk to all marine life. Cigarette butts, mostly composed of microplastics, are the most common plastic litter found on beaches. These hazardous chemicals cause long-term harm to marine life and can also negatively affect human health.
Reducing plastic use is crucial to solving the global pollution crisis, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Chemical pollution from oil, fertilizers, pesticides, sunscreens, and pharmaceutical waste also harms aquatic species, causing developmental issues, weakened immune systems, and reduced fertility.
Overfishing is another major threat, as it depletes resources and destabilizes ecosystems. Unfortunately, this practice continues to be heavily subsidized by governments. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that over a third of global fish stocks are being overfished. Overfishing also damages the seabed, particularly when large nets are towed by ships along the seafloor. Currently, only 2.8% of the ocean’s surface is protected from fishing activities.
Ecosystem degradation is another concern. Oceans absorb 23% of human-caused carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and capture 90% of the excess heat created by these emissions each year. However, due to global warming and human activities, temperatures are rising rapidly, and the oceans are struggling to cope.
As waters become more acidic, “dead zones” increase, where wildlife cannot survive due to suffocation. Global warming and pollution also lead to the spread of harmful viruses, bacteria, and algae, affecting both marine life and humans.
The expansion of human activities in the oceans, particularly in energy production and mining, poses additional challenges for marine life conservation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) states that around 6% of assessed fish are threatened or near threatened with extinction.
If we don’t change our ways, more than half of the world’s marine species could be on the verge of extinction by 2100.
The upcoming UN Ocean Conference aims to provide scientific solutions for sustainable ocean management, including green technology and innovative use of marine resources. The conference will address various threats to our oceans, such as pollution, illegal fishing, and habitat and biodiversity loss.