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Balancing ocean conservation with human activity starts by bringing together scientists, policymakers, and communities to sustainably share the sea.
Balancing ocean conservation with human activity starts by bringing together scientists, policymakers, and communities to sustainably share the sea.
Since the UN designated May 2 as World Tuna Day to highlight the importance of responsible tuna fishing, significant progress has been made. In 2017, only 75% of catch came from sustainable tuna stocks; today, that figure exceeds 90%. This recovery is the result of coordinated efforts by governments, fisheries organizations, scientists, and fishers, supported by the FAO-led Common Oceans Program. However, vigilance remains essential. Climate change, bycatch, and other challenges persist. Global cooperation is key to securing truly sustainable tuna fisheries and preparing for what lies ahead.
Over half of our planet lies in the ocean's depths, a vast and mysterious world that remains largely unexplored. As part of the #OceanDecade, scientists worldwide are accelerating efforts to discover and understand the deep sea, crucial for its protection and sustainability.
The Mesoamerican Reef, spanning 1,000 km across four countries, is under threat from climate change and pollution, prompting initiatives like MAR+Invest, which supports local businesses and conservation efforts to preserve this vital ecosystem.
Understanding the ocean is critical for protecting our climate, sustaining biodiversity, and supporting the livelihoods of over 3 billion people.
Three-quarters of seafloor remains unmapped, and hundreds of thousands of marine species are yet to be identified, reminding us that the ocean is one of the least understood parts of our planet. Over 600 scientific initiatives across the globe are deepening our understanding of this vital system and safeguard its future.
Marine biodiversity is vital for a healthy ocean and initiatives like Marine Life 2030 and the Global Fund for Coral Reefs are working to protect and restore it from various threats.
The "Turning Waste into Wealth in Barbados" initiative transforms fish waste into valuable livestock feed and soil amendments, supporting local farmers and processors while advancing sustainable development and fisheries policy.
Over 65 million people along the Western Indian Ocean's coastline rely on its marine ecosystem for their livelihoods. In addition, this region is home to between 11,000 and 20,000 marine species, many of which can be found nowhere else on Earth. However, this rich ecosystem is threatened by climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. The Eleventh Conference of Parties to the Nairobi Convention (August 20-22, Madagascar) is a crucial decision-making forum in enhancing ongoing efforts to protect, manage, and develop the Western Indian Ocean region.
The ocean's challenges are immense and no single nation or sector can tackle them alone. Three years into the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), it is time to address key questions about its progress: What have been the main achievements since the launch of the Decade? What should be the key areas for action in the coming years? The 2024 Ocean Decade Conference, taking place in Barcelona (10-12 April), aims to enhance sustainable ocean management and foster science-driven innovation, with an inclusive approach that ensures no one is left behind.
“I believe fundamentally that nations have to work together to solve these big environmental crises, you cannot solve them on your own.”
Lewis Pugh was never afraid to take the plunge. Now ocean advocate for the United Nations Environment Programme, the record-breaking cold-water swimmer has completed long distance swims at both of the Earth’s Poles, in the Red Sea, and along the length of the Hudson River, to spread a message of habitat renewal and conservation.
Healthy oceans, seas and rivers are essential to supporting life on Earth - providing food, medicine, and acting as the world’s largest carbon sink. In this episode of Awake at Night, Lewis Pugh reflects on his love for the water, on his breathtaking swims, and onbreaking the diplomatic ice to create the world’s largest marine park.
International shipping transports more than 80% of global trade goods to people and communities all over the world. It is the most efficient and cost-effective method of transporting goods, facilitating commerce and helping to create prosperity among nations and peoples. World Maritime Day's theme for this year, MARPOL at 50 — Our commitment goes on, spotlights the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), which covers the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
The waters that surround the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Pacific are home to remarkable marine ecosystems. The fish and other marine species they host are deeply intertwined with many Pacific peoples’ cultures, livelihoods and food. But while the communities of these islands continue to consume fish in significant quantities, the diversity of Islanders’ diets is declining, and their nutrition is deteriorating. So, what are some new approaches and innovations that can help reverse this trend? A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WorldFish has some suggestions. Here are five of them.
During the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue 2023, held during the Bonn Climate Conference, the crucial importance of action to protect the ocean was highlighted, as well as the need for the ocean to feature prominently in all relevant aspects of the UN Climate Change process. The June Ocean Dialogue coincided with preparations for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in the United Arab Emirates at the end of the year, where the outcomes of the global stocktake will be a key focus, along with other ways to increase ambition on climate change.