WE NEED TO RADICALLY CHANGE HOW WE USE THE OCEANS
Global warming, ocean acidification and human impact are having a devastating effect on the planets' coral reef systems
Photograph by Andrew Whitcombe
With almost 25% of marine life threatened with extinction, the health of our oceans are in serious jeopardy. The oceans are not the infinite resource as once thought but they are and always will be crucial to our survival. The populations of many marine species are decreasing at unsustainable rates, and the number of species listed as endangered or critically endangered is on the rise. Marine species are often more vulnerable to threats such as climate change, habitat destruction and overexploitation.
As you know, the oceans cover more than 70% of the planets surface area, drive our weather patterns, produces over half of the air we breathe, stores more than half of the carbon we emit, and provides nutrition for nearly 4 billion people. Eight out of the ten most populous cities are coastal and over half of the world's population lives within 200 km of a coastline. Around 80 million tons of fish are caught annually by 3 million marine fishing vessels, making more than 10% of the world's population totally dependent on fisheries for their livelihood.
The oceans are massively affected by our rapidly changing climate. And this is not good
The rapid changing of our climate - the current warming trend - is significantly affecting the marine environment - warming seawater temperatures, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and changes in currents, upwelling and weather patterns – all having the potential to cause fundamental changes in the nature and character of our marine and coastal ecosystems.
Fish quantities are plummeting in almost every ocean due to overfishing and destructive fishing techniques. Seabirds, turtles and marine mammals suffer terrible deaths by irresponsible fishing practices every day or are often hit by boats and caught in fishing gear. Commercial whaling has severely depleted whale populations, driving some species to the brink of extinction. Coral reefs have existed on our planet for over 50 million years, but recently we have lost over 20% of the world's reefs in just the last 20 years. Up to 70% of the reefs may be destroyed by humans. Ocean noise from shipping, industrial extraction, marine construction and military activities cause underwater noise pollution. Since whales depend on sound to communicate, any interference by noise pollution can negatively affect their ability to find food and mates, navigate, avoid predators and take care of their young.
View from space of a massive hurricane
Photograph by Matt Trommer
CELEBRATE
World Oceans Day
on June 8th
EVERY YEAR
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If we don’t change the way we do things—and fast—we are on track to cause irreversible damage to the oceans and the collapse of some of the most important food sources in the world.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE