LIFE BELOW WATER: Marine

WHY IT MATTERS Protected

Whats the goal here?
To conserve and sustain-
ably use the worlds oceans,
seas and marine resources.
Even more, Marine Areas
Protected Areas contrib-
ute to poverty reduc-
tion by increasing fish
contribute to

Why?
catches and income, and
improving health. They poverty
Oceans provide key nat-
ural resources including
also help improve gen-
der equality, as women
do much of the work at
reduction
food, medicines, biofuels
and other products. They
small-scale fisheries. by increasing
help with the breakdown
and removal of waste and
The marine environment
is also home to a stun- peoples
ning variety of beautiful
pollution, and their coastal
ecosystems act as buffers
creatures, ranging from income and
single-celled organisms to
to reduce damage from
storms. Maintaining healthy
the biggest animal ever to improving
have lived on the Earththe
oceans supports climate
change mitigation and
blue whale. They are also health.
home to coral reefs, one
adaptation efforts. And
of the most diverse eco-
have you been to the sea-
systems on the planet.
side? Its also a great place
for tourism and recreation.
Sounds like a worthwhile
thing to protect. So
whats the problem?
Increasing levels of debris
in the worlds oceans are
having a major environ-
mental and economic
impact. Marine debris
impacts biodiversity
through entanglement or
ingestion of debris items by
organisms, which can kill
them or make it impossible
for them to reproduce.
As far as the worlds coral
reefs are concerned, about
20 per cent of them have
been effectively destroyed
and show no prospects
for recovery. About 24 per
cent of the remaining reefs
are under imminent risk of
collapse through human
pressures, and a further 26
per cent are under a longer
-term threat of collapse.
Furthermore, improper
marine management
results in overfishing.
The lost economic ben-
efits from the fisheries
sector are estimated to
be around US$50 bil-
lion annually. The UN
Environment Programme
estimates the cumulative
economic impact of poor
ocean management prac-
tices is at least US$200
billion per year. In the
absence of mitigation a sustainable future for
measures, climate change the fishing industry.
will increase the cost of
damage to the ocean by
On a local level, we should
make ocean-friendly
an additional US$322
choices when buying prod-
billion per year by 2050.
ucts or eating food derived
What would it cost from oceans and con-
sume only what we need.
to correct this? Selecting certified products
The costs of taking is a good place to start.
action largely are offset
Making small changes
by the long-term gains.
in our daily lives, like
In economic terms, the
taking public transport
Convention on Biological
and unplugging elec-
Diversity suggests that
tronics saves energy.
scaled up actions to sus-
These actions reduce
tain the global ocean
our carbon footprint, a
require a US$32 billion
factor that contributes
one-time public cost and
to rising sea levels.
US$21 billion dollars a
year for recurring costs. We should eliminate
plastic usage as much
So what can we do? as possible and orga-
For open ocean and deep nize beach clean-ups.
sea areas, sustainabil- Most importantly, we
ity can be achieved only can spread the message
through increased inter- about how important
national cooperation to marine life is and why
protect vulnerable hab- we need to protect it.
itats. Establishing com-
To find out more
prehensive, effective and
about Goal #14 and
equitably managed sys-
other Sustainable
tems of government-pro-
Development Goals visit:
tected areas should be
pursued to conserve http://www.un.org/
sustainabledevelopment
biodiversity and ensure