When writers search for similes to convey a sense of unfathomable vastness, they often look no further than the ocean—this expansive blue world that humanity is simultaneously removed from and so dependent upon. Yet this idea of limitlessness is misplaced, as we are increasingly realizing in the face of unchecked and damaging exploitation of the natural resources oceans provide.
There is no doubt that oceans drive economic growth and bring a host of benefits to society: approximately 350 million jobs are linked to oceans, the international trade in fish products spans 85 nations and involves an estimated $102 billion per year, and about $9 billion is made in ecotourism related to coral reefs. As humanity continues down its path of growth, we are probing deeper and further into the oceans—for fish, oil, gas, minerals and new genetic resources—in an attempt to keep pace with increasing consumption.
Yet as we look to a future in which the world population will swell to nine billion by 2050, simply hoping that the oceans can keep on giving is not a sensible strategy. These waters, which cover 71 per cent of the Earth’s surface, play a key role in climate regulation and absorbing carbon dioxide. We cannot risk disrupting these processes. Even if the oceans have more to offer, the evidence shows that, with current practices, humanity is unlikely to manage these extra resources responsibly.
Today, more than 30 per cent of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited, depleted or recovering from depletion. Pollution has created more than 500 dead zones across 245,000 square kilometres. Human impacts have destroyed more than 20 per cent of mangroves, 30 per cent of sea grass beds and 20 per cent of coral reefs. The research that shows us the damage being wrought also points towards long-term socio-economic consequences if we continue to treat the oceans as a bottomless well from which we can endlessly take. It is clear that a shift in thinking is required.
A key component of creating a new paradigm is providing governments with more evidence of the economic benefits nature’s services—natural capital, as it is known—bring so they can include them in national planning and thus reverse the degradation taking place across the globe. Without such evidence, the desire to display short-term gains through partial indicators such as gross domestic product will win out over sustainable long-term growth based on functioning ecosystems. A UNEP-hosted initiative, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, is setting out to increase this evidence in the coming years.
In the meantime, there are signs that we are at least edging towards the necessary paradigm shift; I would like to highlight three of them. Firstly, the number of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is growing. With support from UNEP, Haiti last year designated its first nine MPAs and others are set to follow suit. More needs to be done, though: just 2.8 per cent of the oceans are protected, according to a joint monitoring project run by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre. This is far from the 10 per cent called for by 2020 under the Aichi Biodiversity Target 11.
Then there is the new EU Common Fisheries Policy, which came into force on January 1. This policy is phasing out the practice of throwing unwanted fish overboard—estimated at 23 per cent of total catches—and requires the industry to stick to quotas designed to achieve healthy fish stocks. However, the private sector, which holds the power to drive a move towards sustainable oceans, should not wait for legislation to force it to change its practices. Natural capital accounting makes a very simple business case: conserve the ecosystem upon which your livelihood depends, or soon you will be out of business.
Finally, the UNEP Regional Seas Programme is demonstrating the importance of strong governance in managing oceans. The programme, through 18 Conventions and Action Plans spanning seven continents, aims to restore the health and productivity of oceans and marine ecosystems by promoting responsible stewardship. Over the last 40 years, these Regional Multilateral Environmental Agreements have assisted many countries to reduce land-based pollution; improved the management of coastal zones in the Mediterranean, East Africa, Pacific and Caribbean regions; and brought nations together to conserve the marine environment.
These actions and initiatives are encouraging, but the pace of transformation must accelerate. Setting measurable and implementable targets on oceans in the yet-to-be-defined Sustainable Development Goals, and developing cohesive approaches as a critical component of the post-2015 agenda will undoubtedly help. Moreover, learning to value the oceans the way we do any other resource – bringing the Green Economy to the Blue World – will be crucial. Our blue world is naturally resilient, and can recover. We just need to create the conditions to allow it to do so.
After reading this article, I now realize the importance and value of our ocean as it pertains to the Green Economy and our resources. Up until then, I realized that water was essentially needed for everything, and that if we want things to happen we need to flow like water past resistance. We need to find a solution. We now know that oceans are the catalyst for economic growth. Potentially, society can benefit from this. Around 350 million jobs are contributed to oceans. The more than 85 nations that the international trade in fish products has accounted for, and over 350 jobs have been created as a result. As we as a society continue down a path centered on growth, we get deeper and further into the oceans. We are definitely having a direct impact on gas, oil, and fish.
ReplyDeleteWe see proof that we are managing out natural and extra resources improperly. This is due to the fact that the world’s population is booming, but the oceans are getting tighter. We don’t know 100% of what our natural resources are worth and we not value everything appropriately. This means we must advance towards a paradigm shift. A paradigm shift must occur in order for the true value of our resources to be determined. Without a paradigm shift, we may take for granted what is important and not. A paradigm shift would help us understand the relationship between our fisheries, land resources, and the overall relationship with the ocean as it pertains to being a resource.
Abe Alvi
Hey Abe I agree with your post, This article brought so much to my attention, and now i realize the importance of the greening the ocean and why these policies to reduce the pollution of the ocean is necessary.
Delete"The research that shows us the damage being wrought also points towards long-term socio-economic consequences if we continue to treat the oceans as a bottomless well from which we can endlessly take. It is clear that a shift in thinking is required."
ReplyDeleteThis is not only true for oceans, but for all other natural resources we exploit. We need a shift in thinking because many people (myself included up until two years ago!) are under the impression that Earth is this indestructible, forever thing. Most people are not taught that our planet is really quite fragile, relatively speaking, and that it is a fragile thing upon which we are wreaking havoc. Thus the idea that real consequences are coming, and coming quickly, due to our mistreatment of our environment does not seem to hold real meaning. I am happy that some progress is being made, but as stated in the article, "...the pace of transformation must accelerate." There needs to be a shift in thinking, because without one there will be no real action. In order to transform thought we must work to further educate ourselves and those around us about the planet on which we live and how we are drastically altering it for the worse. If we want to survive, the long run vitality of our planet needs to be taken into consideration.
It is appalling the percentage of the Oceans that are protected. 10% is not a lot to begin with and we're not able to come up with a 10% protection rate. I believe consumption should be reduced. If people consumed less instead of over-consuming we could reduce the strain we put on the oceans and the environment. Consuming less is a big factor in helping the ocean to recover. From reading this article it is key that we find environmentally friendly ways to meet our needs without over consumption.
ReplyDeleteI was acutely aware of how much we rely on our oceans but seeing the statistics and numbers illustrating our dependance was shocking. I haven't viewed the ocean's value from an economic perspective until now. Up until now, I thought i was valuable in that it was simply nature that supported so many lifeforms. We rely so heavily on the oceans for fishing, oil, ecotourism and so much more. One thing related to all of that is jobs. The article states that 350 million jobs are linked to the oceans. The world's population is growing exponentially, but the ocean is not. There will be more people on the planet needing more jobs but there will not be more ocean, quite the contrary if we keep exploiting it. We are certainly living on a finite planet with finite resources.
ReplyDeleteI too was surprised to see exactly what percentage of the oceans was actually protected. While there is limited oceans to exploit, there is plenty of oceans to protect. Perhaps some of those 9 billion people on the planet in 2050 can be employed in the ocean conservancy field.
The ocean has been the most valuable natural resource to humanity. It to not surprising to see its economic benefits to our modern society as civilizations have general gravitated towards the coasts for fishing and for trade. It is surprising, however, to see the negative impact humanity has on the ocean. Common sense would dictate that coastal states and nations whose economies rely on major summertime tourism and/or fishing would demand more protection. Everyone remembers how the BP spill affected tourism in the southern states. Few people, however, know about things like the Atlantic northwest's cod crisis when an entire industry collapsed (causing major rapid unemployment) after fishers, using new technology, over-fished their own source of income. It was the equivalent of a rancher slaughtering all his livestock for quick money, not realizing he would be better off to moderate and let the population remain steady. Of course, a rancher wouldn't do this, but it seems that because nobody privately owns the ocean and because the ocean seems infinitely regenerating, people do what they want given they have the proper licenses (and often even without).
ReplyDeleteHowever, I noticed many people posted about their concern over how much of the ocean is protected. 2.8% does seem a bit low, but my questions is how does anybody expect this to be enforced? Budget cuts are leading to a smaller active duty Coast Guard which is already having trouble dealing with innovative South American cartels who are attempting to smuggle new drugs into the United States. The U.S. Navy is also not a DEP force, but a military organization. The ocean covers over 70% of Earth's surface and it is simply nonenforceable, even if the protected zone was 20%. Finally, the U.S. is the only nation which has the resources to at least attempt to enforce deep sea maritime laws on a large scale. Simply put, Americans don't want their taxes used on policing the world when every other nation just watches. Perhaps other nations should pay the U.S. if they want to protect the oceans. Then I would be fine with it.
The oceans are an important, if not one of the most important natural systems on Earth. Old mythology and religious books credit life starting in the sea. I believe this is not a coincidence and they realized the importance of water. Sometimes the interpretations of writings are taken so literal that we can often miss what is suggested or hinted at. Furthermore, this article helps supports the essay "The Tragedy of the Commons". Anything that everyone has access to is exploited. Although, there are regulations and taxes that helps minimize the over exploitation of our oceans there aren't enough people to enforce the rules. More so when speaking about privatization, regulations, and taxing for access to Oceans it is not enough. A new paradigm shift needs to made in our economic system and our belief system. It is only then I believe real change will be made. Lastly, this article illustrates a perfect example of “Prisoners Dilemma”. Many industries know that over fishing and over use of the ocean may hinder business in the long run, but they feel the game dictates a particular rational action that may produce a hurtful outcome.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading this article I was terrified that this was going to be one of those articles that just state the horrifying facts without giving a solution to the problems. Fortunately, this article ended in a positive note. I am glad that there are initiatives being taken, even though there are still not enough. I think even though this article emphasizes on the ocean, its idea to take more initiatives is applicable to every natural resource. They need to be protected and taken care of. Government has an immense power over the future of our natural resources, which need to be guarded from the greedy investors. This article makes me think of the "Pebble Mine". This mine is going to be the one of the biggest mines in the world but it has a huge footprint. It can potentially cause for the biggest salmon fishery to die off. Salmon come to the water that will be damaged to lay ends and die. If the water is contaminated than this can easily be the end of this particular kind of salmon. Which in turn will hurt the the bears and whales that also come to eat there. The government can veto against it, but they have yet to do that. This shows how much the Government can do to protect our natural resources.
ReplyDeleteIn the past we have hurt a lot of our resources to point of no return, but these things need to be taken more seriously. People need to be more informed about our resources, and what we are going to the health of our planet. More education, and more initiatives should be taken so that we can if not return the gifts this planet has given to but at least preserve it.
This article brought up many good points about the ocean and the resources it supplies. The ocean gives us a tremendous amount of natural resources that help us survive on a daily basis. It provides a way for many people to make a living. With that, we have to be very careful not to overuse this natural resource. The effects of continuous use and misuse of the ocean has been destroying what is so important to all of us. As the author states, we must change our habits now. It was particularly interesting to find out about the dumping of fish as bycatch at a rate of 23%. It is good that we are trying to make changes, but as the author notes, we must do more.
ReplyDeleteThis article did a really good job not only of pointing out the consequences of a damaged ocean system, but also the need for a new paradigm and steps that suggest that we are inching towards a shift. It was really interesting to read about the steps being made to repair the world ocean, such as the expansion of Marine Protected Areas. Throughout my studies, I've done a bit of research on overfishing, and its economic and environmental impacts. I strongly believe that this is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately, as so many people depend on the ocean as an economic and food source. For many people throughout the world, a deteriorating ocean system will be detrimental to their way of life.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I found interesting about this article was the mention of the new EU Common Fisheries Policy. This policy is essentially aiming to reduce the amount of bycatch collected by fisheries. Bycatch, or unwanted fish that are caught and then thrown overboard after they have already died, is a major problem associated with the fishing industry and seriously needs to be addressed. It was really refreshing to read that there are moves being made to combat this practice.
This article made realize how dependent we are on the ocean for an abundance of resources. We rely on the ocean for fish, oil, gas, minerals and new genetic resources. The article states that more than 30 per cent of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited, depleted or recovering from depletion. Pollution has created more than 500 dead zones across 245,000 square kilometers. Human impacts have destroyed more than 20 per cent of mangroves, 30 per cent of sea grass beds and 20 per cent of coral reefs. These numbers are incredibly shocking to me because the vast amount of water available on this world and for 30 percent of sea grass beds in the ocean to be destroyed because of humans is ridiculous. I think because the ocean is so large we lose site on how easily it is to disturbed the delicate ecosystem of the ocean. Also because we simply don’t get to witness firsthand how much we are destroying the ocean people simply don’t care. If it doesn’t affect them directly unfortunately it is not their main concern.
ReplyDeleteI really did not realize the importance of the ocean until after reading this article. Steiner did a great job with this article by summing up the importance of the ocean in a couple paragraphs and I think the way he pull it together for readers in very powerful and effective. Now I realize that the ocean is way more than “a large body of water”. The author states that the ocean drives economic growth. The ocean is also necessary for fish, oil, mineral, new genetic resources and transportation, I now see the importance of greening the ocean. I agree with the author that the necessary steps should be taken in order to stop the pollution of the ocean which in turns destroy fish stocks. The author also states that 350 million jobs are linked to the ocean, therefore if the ocean is destroyed then what will happen to all those workers? What is happen to seafood which so many people depends on? This will end up causing a domino effect. I do believe that the ocean should be taken seriously, and the necessary policy and rules should be enforce to protect the “blue seas”.
ReplyDeleteI think we often forget the damage we inflict on the ocean because, as the author said, it is so vast. We are so dependent on the resources it brings, but we overlook how much harm we do because the ocean seems endless and so abundant with resources that it seems we can continue to act the way we do without leaving a dent on the ocean's ecosystem. However, as this article has pointed out, so much economic growth is dependent on the ocean, and therefore, many people take advantage of it. This is a prime example of the tragedy of the commons. We continue to exploit the ocean's resources for short-term economic gains, but fail to account for long-term interests. People want to make that profit now, but continuing to act this way is ultimately not beneficial for anyone because soon enough we will damage the ocean and deplete its resources at a fast rate. It is great that we are moving towards a paradigm shift and those three actions that were highlighted in the article are at least doing their part to reverse the current trend. Hopefully, more businesses and more people will catch on and realise that we need to manage our oceans more sustainably.
ReplyDeleteThe article started off with some pretty frightening statistics about the damages the ocean and aquatic life have suffered as a consequence of the economic benefits the ocean offers. After learning about fish exploitation and depletion, coral reef damages, dead zones, oil spills, and sea grass bed destruction, we realize that the wellbeing of our world’s largest resource is being continually sacrificed for human gain and consumption. Not only do we rely on the ocean to provide fish for food, tourism, transportation, minerals, oil, and gas, but the ocean plays an essential part in absorbing the carbon dioxide we release into the air with every breath we take. With so many ways to profit from the ocean, the necessary precautions that should be taken to minimize our impact on the ocean have been continually pushed aside. It comes as no surprise to me, that ocean exploration and exploitation must be reformed. The circumstances will not improve until nations come together and create a low-impact and sustainable economic green approach to ocean related jobs. The article articulates the importance of raising awareness of the degradation of the oceans as well as highlighting the importance of “evidence of the economic benefits of nature’s services” in order to provoke the aforementioned national planning. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity seeks to do just this. Other UNEP initiatives focus on ocean management, and offers solutions to a variety of ocean-related issues that can be solved with a greener economy! Perhaps the most vital aspect of the article, is the suggestion that change is already underway, and that stopping the damages is completely possible.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Baxter
The article divulges so much information in regards to the long-term socio economic consequences of our treatment of the ocean. This was the part that most perked my attention, I was aware of the importance of the ocean and how valuable or more so essential of a resource it is for us. However the figures really bring to light the severity of the situation for example the fact that “around 350 million jobs are contributed to oceans” really shows that we as a society must do a better job, since such an alarming number of jobs are also dependent on this. We cannot continue to treat the ocean as well as other natural resources, as a limitless fountain from which we can take and not put back. Although the article makes a point to specify that there are improvements edging towards a paradigm shift, though slower than we may need, we must first focus on changing peoples way of thinking and their attitudes towards the issue. As the population increases a paradigm shift is needed “providing governments with more evidence of economic benefits nature’s services-natural capital, as it is known- bring so they can include them in national planning and thus reverse degradation”
ReplyDeleteYaisa Sousa
This article really highlighted the fundamental importance of the deep blue in relation to the survival and sustenance of the human existence. The Ocean is the source of all life and provides valuable resources and benefits which include climate regulation, medicines developed from marine plant and animal resources, transportation of ocean bound shipping, oil and gas, food which is a vital part of our protein intake through seafood, and economic gains through tourism, recreation and fishing. I have always personally enjoyed time in or by the water, wether its sailing, going for a swim in the lake or beach, indulging in seafood (my favorite type of food) or visiting aquariums always being amazed at marine life and animals. It's simply magnificent.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Steiner when he states that we treat the ocean as a limitless resource. Its sad to say that the private sector usually awaits government regulation before making an effort toward maintaining sustainable oceans by improving business practices. As with much of our infrastructure, the private sector is usually motivated by personal gains on their bottom dollar opposed to sustainable means of production by which our livelihood depends; to make a profit. I do believe the preservation and creation of conditions that allow the oceans to replenish its self in a natural, healthy way is vital to our survival. Unfortunately our living practices pose both direct and indirect threats to ocean resources. Carbon emissions, land based pollutants like plastics, energy consumption, oil spills, toxic chemicals and pharmaceuticals from which hospitals and long term care facilities flush millions of pounds down the drain all are all hazardous. There needs to be more of an effort put forth on a global level to address the problem, I don't believe government regulation is strong enough. The difficult part about making a difference is that our perception of the ocean is that its larger-than-life size gives people the impression that it is superficially infinite. However, at this pace we will deplete its resources to the point of no return.
-Sharda Naitram
It is absolutely dreadful that people treat our world like an endless resource supply. Humans have this tendency to want instant gratification and forget that the ecosystem needs time to recover from our selfish use of it. The world's oceans are vital to our survival not just in the means of taking from it but in it just being on our planet. There is only so much abuse it can take, just like any other living thing. Just recently I read an article on the radiation leaks from the nuclear plant explosion in Japan a few years back. The article said that this radiation had been leaking into the ocean making the fish in the surrounding area unless as well as killing it off. Instead of this being a concern to humanity, fishermen just go out farther into the sea to catch more fish. It is disgusting how humans have no concern for wildlife and have such a selfish need to take without thinking of the consequences of our actions. It won't be until all our resources have depleted or some type of terrible disaster happens that shakes the sense into our world.
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