The oceans cover 71% of our planet’s surface. We rely on them to support human life and our economic, cultural, social, and environmental wellbeing. But our oceans are under threat.
With the effects of climate change increasingly evident, sea water temperatures are rising rapidly. Continued ocean warming is projected to lead to marine ecosystems disappearing – systems which are essential for biodiversity, and food and livelihood for millions of people.
Around half the world’s population relies on fish as a major source of protein, and the fishing industry employs over 56 million people across the globe. Yet the way we fish is unsustainable, boosting carbon emissions, depleting wildlife, and polluting our oceans. We must find new ways to protect fish stock numbers, whilst sustainably feeding populations.
Protecting natural carbon storage is one way that experts believe we can help slow down the increase in global temperature. By increasing the number of costal mangroves, sea grass and salt marshes, experts believe we can reduce carbon emissions and help revitalise the ocean.
Advances in geoengineering solutions also indicate a sustainable future, one in which we can flow with the oceans and not against them. But how do we balance nature-based and geoengineering solutions, and how do we know which applications or methods work best in different environments?
We’re also aware of how much we don’t know. Especially when it comes to understanding areas beyond national jurisdiction, as well as our knowledge of polar regions and the Antarctic Ocean.
To explore this, we are pleased to launch ‘Our Oceans: A deep dive’. Through public lectures and panel debates, this event series will engage with experts, advisors, policymakers, and the public, to address the role our oceans can play in our collective action to reach net zero; how we can protect indigenous communities and our oceans from pollution, overfishing, and fish farming; the role and opportunities of nature-based and geoengineering solutions; and the geopolitics of our oceans.
We believe it is time to act, for the protection of our oceans now and for future generations.
