Ocean Facts
We can’t solve the climate crisis without the ocean.
The ocean has absorbed as much as 30% of carbon dioxide emissions generated by human activity. (NOAA)
Mangrove forests sequester carbon more than 10 times faster than mature terrestrial forests. ("A blueprint for blue carbon: toward an improved understanding of the role of vegetated coastal habitats in sequestering CO2”, Frontiers in Ecology and Environment, 2011)
Ocean-based solutions that are ready to implement today could close the emissions gap by as much as 35%. (The Ocean as a Solution to Climate Change: Updated Opportunities for Action )
Science must lead the way in our search for ocean-based solutions.
We need the ocean, and the ocean needs us.
The ocean is integral to our climate system and is the largest active carbon reservoir on Earth. (The Global Climate Cycle and Climate Change, 2023)
The blue economy provides over 30 million jobs and supplies a vital source of protein to three billion people. (UNEPFI)
More than 90% of marine life could face extinction by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed. (A Climate Risk for Marine Life, Nature Climate Change, 2022)
The Global Stocktake must include consideration of the distribution and diversity of marine life.
Global warming is ocean warming.
The ocean has absorbed more than 90% of the excess heat caused by human activity. (IPCC 6th Assessment)
The rate of ocean warming has more than doubled since 1993. (IPCC 6th Assessment)
Nearly one billion people living in low-elevation coastal zones worldwide will be affected by sea level rise. (Population development as a driver of coastal risk: Current trends and future pathways)