The environment secretary of the U.K., Michael Gove, last month called for one-third of the world’s oceans to be designed as marine protected areas by 2030. Globally, less than 10% of the world’s seas are currently designated as marine protected areas (MPAs)—one of the most important ways to protect precious sea life and habitats from damaging activity. Currently, global targets for
Read more
The World Bank has introduced plans to raise $3 billion to protect the world’s oceans and marine life through a new sustainable development bond series. The water bonds were introduced at the World Water Week events which were held last week, and the announcement comes in advance of the Our Ocean conference to be held in Bali in October. The
Read more
Recent research published in the journal Current Biology examines data on 19 human stressors to the ocean and determines that only 13.2 %—approximately 55 million sq km—of the oceans remain wilderness areas, little of which is in coastal areas and only 4.9 % of which lies within currently protected marine areas. The authors define global marine wilderness as “biologically and
Read more
Marine biologist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence Sylvia Earle has declared the Jæren Coast of southern Norway a “Hope Spot” which means it will become the target of conservation efforts. Earle made the announcement last year when she was in Norway to accept the 2017 Rachel Carson prize. Read more about the Jæren Coast effort at Earle’s alliance: Mission Blue.
Read more
An all-female crew of 24 women are on a 3,000 nmi journey from Hawaii to Vancouver to study microplastics and bring attention to the problem of ocean plastic pollution. The eXXpedition crew is made up of scientists, students, artists, filmmakers, business women, psychologists, actors, ocean activists and sustainability professionals, and novice as well as experienced sailors. The 10th such journey
Read more
House Oceans Caucus co-chairs, Alaska Congressman Don Young and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing World Oceans Day on June 8 with a call for action to protect, conserve, maintain and rebuild the world’s oceans and ocean resources. Additionally the co–chairs wrote an op-ed about the topic, published in The Hill. The House Oceans Caucus is a bipartisan group of
Read more