The ocean supports all life on Earth, but we have explored only 80 per cent of it and an estimated 91 per cent of ocean species have yet to be classified. What's more, the ocean is changing at unprecedented rates in the face of climate change, pollution and over-exploitation. Understanding these changes demands a rapid scale-up in ocean monitoring and the collection of valuable data before it disappears.
Innovations in sensors and autonomous vehicles are needed to collect that data; new modelling technology will be needed to make sense of it. The benefits will be a wealth of genetic information with applications in pharmaceuticals and biotech as well as a better understanding of ocean ecosystems, their connectivity, and how we can manage these vast resources in a more equitable and sustainable way.
- What do we not know about the ocean that we should know?
- How can we make the best use of the vast amount of genetic data flowing from the oceans?
- How can scientists catch up with the rapidly changing state of the ocean?
- How can we measure the value of the oceans and share those benefits equitably before its resources are irreparably harmed or depleted?
Takeaway messages
“The ocean and coastal areas cover more than two-thirds of Earth's surface and contain 97 per cent of the planet's water, but 45 per cent of the Earth's surface has no laws to protect marine species and minerals.
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“Companies rush to register patents for marine genetic resources of organisms that could have lucrative and beneficial uses for industry and biomedicine.
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“Efforts to map the bathymetry of the ocean seafloor are accelerating with international cooperation.
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“Demand for minerals for the world's battery-powered transition to electric vehicles and sources of clean energy has led to prospective mining on the ocean seabed that could spare land from mining but damage unknown marine life and release pent-up carbon from the depths.
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“Stewardship rests on three pillars: knowledge, care, and agency. That is why stewardship could be at the core of science and diplomacy actions for ocean protection.
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“Ocean life goes back about 3.7 billion years, but scientists have described only about 10 per cent of it.
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“The threat of climate change has increased dramatically for the oceans, creating a race to protect marine species and functions.
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“A “global charter” may be needed to fulfil one of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 that calls for conserving and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources.
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More information
- Session recording on YouTube
- Related interviews: : Anders Meibom & Vladimir Ryabinin
- Tweets related to the session