In the fight for the ocean’s future, small wins aren’t enough

By: Lasse Gustavsson and Nina Jensen

Conservation works.? That’s the conclusion from a study, entitled The positive impact of conservation action , published in the academic journal Science last month. More specifically – in a global analysis the study found that in two thirds of cases, conservation improved the state of biodiversity or slowed declines.

?That’s the good news. The caveat is that yes, conservation works, but it requires transformative scaling up if we are going to meet global targets. And, as the ongoing battles against climate change and biodiversity loss shows, we are not very good at scaling transformative change at a global level.

There’s no better example of this than the pressing global need to protect the ocean.

?Today, June 8, is World Ocean Day; a day that the UN has declared to celebrate the ocean.

?Yet, amidst these celebrations the ocean faces urgent threats, with climate change impacts, overfishing and pollution, as three of the most pressing.

?These issues have led to significant biodiversity loss. Overfished stocks have tripled from 10% in 1974 to 33% recently. Annually, an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean. Since the 1970s, approximately 50% of the world’s coral reefs have been lost or severely damaged due to bleaching events, overfishing, pollution, and coastal development. Addressing these threats is crucial to preserving ocean health and biodiversity.

?These figures can be difficult to comprehend in our daily lives, especially for those who live outside coastal communities. Impact to the ocean isn’t seen as clearly as we would in a clear cut forest.

?But the ocean matters – we need it to survive.

?The ocean is vital for regulating our climate, by absorbing about 30% of carbon dioxide emissions emitted by human activities and mitigating climate change. It produces at least 50% of the Earth’s oxygen and regulates global temperatures and weather systems.

?It holds cultural value – and is good for business.

?Economically, the ocean provides food for billions, supports fisheries and aquaculture, and generates substantial revenue through tourism, supporting millions of jobs. It holds cultural significance and is essential for global trade, with about 90% of international trade conducted by sea, making it a critical component of the global economy. According to the World Economic Forum, the gross marine product of the ocean comes in at $2.5 trillion per year.

?The ocean needs saving

?We are inspired by the action we see everyday from ocean lovers who care about saving our ocean. Over the past 30 years 1 Million volunteers have joined Ocean Wise for shoreline cleanups.

?Unfortunately, the type of action needed to save the ocean must be at a larger scale than this. We desperately need urgent and coordinated global action to mitigate these threats and protect marine ecosystems.

?If we can coordinate businesses and have policy agreements translate into action on a scale that matters - ?we can successfully create the change we need. Just look at one of the biggest environmental wins of the last 50 years – the recovery of the ozone layer.

?This recovery didn’t happen locally, it required unprecedented action: scientific research and monitoring, international regulation in the form of The Montreal Protocol to phase out ozone-depleting substances, public awareness and advocacy, and financial and technical assistance. These combined efforts led to a gradual recovery of the ozone layer, which is expected to return to 1980 levels by the mid-21st century.

?This level of global cooperation is what is needed to see similar progress for the ocean.

?What makes conservation work?

?As humans, we need three things in place for conservation to work: economic development, social justice, and respect for planetary boundaries. Realistically, for transformative change, we need to check off these three dimensions.

?Whose job is it to save the ocean?

?Whose job is it to save the ocean? We hate to tell you, but it’s on all of us.

?To save the ocean – we need deep knowledge and many people We need to innovative and effective solutions that matches the scale of the challenges. And we need everyone to do everything they can. Effective change happens when there is collective participation from the individuals and organizations. The ocean needs all of us to do everything we can.

?So, what can you do for the ocean? We encourage you to learn about groups working in your local area to take action. Join a shoreline cleanup, be a citizen scientist and collect data that will help expert research, reduce your contribution of microplastics to the oceans by washing on cold and gentle, choose sustainable seafood options, or donate to those organizations doing work that resonates with you.

?And as for businesses? We need you to join us in the fight for our ocean, for the good of the economy as well as humanity. We need you to take these risks seriously and work with us to improve systems and processes that will benefit your bottom line as well as the ocean.

?As a collective, we have to celebrate the small wins – like less plastic straws ending up on beaches – and the big ones, like the Ozone Layer being on track to heal by 2040 or the near end of commercial whale hunting.

Winning the fight will mean a booming fishing and aquaculture industry that sustainably feeds billions of people. It will mean cleaner beaches when you take a vacation. It will mean bigger and healthier kelp forests are capturing carbon, feeding oxygen into the environment and providing invaluable animal habitat. System change can’t be done on an individual level, but systemic change can happen by group; it matters what you do – especially if you do it with others.

About Lasse Gustavsson , President and CEO of Ocean Wise

Lasse has dedicated his career to conservation and sustainable development. His several decades of international executive leadership and management experience included roles at Greenpeace International, WWF Sweden, WWF International and Oceana. His expertise includes regional and global program strategy and management, corporate and government partnership, as well as policy and advocacy work at the highest political levels in the EU, UN and in countries across the globe. Lasse studied at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland. Lasse is currently based in Vancouver, BC, and is the President and CEO of Ocean Wise.

About Nina Jenson

As CEO of REV Ocean Nina brings the world’s largest Research and Expedition Vessel (REV) to scientists, NGOs, policy makers, innovators, engineers, and marine stakeholders around the world. All REV Ocean initiatives are based on open collaboration and partnerships with relevant stakeholders, working toward the same common goal – preserving our ocean. Nina has been on the Ocean Wise Board since 2021.