With 70% of the planet's surface area being comprised of ocean water, marine and coastal biodiversity play a critical role in the Earth's ecosystem. The planet's oceans have been recognized for their part in the international economy, from processing waste and toxicants to providing food, medicine, and employment to a significant portion of the population. Marine and coastal biodiversity are crucial for the continuous growth of food supplies and heavily impact the abilities of food producers. It enables greater access to fresh water and allows food supplies to become less vulnerable to the effects of pests and disease. Not only does ocean life provide a valuable source of protein, but it also moderates global climate change and produces a third of the oxygen we breathe. The presence of marine bacteria and phytoplankton organisms allow the absorption of atmospheric carbon and dissolution of pollutants, thereby enabling climate regulation.
Despite the essential part they play in ensuring livelihoods worldwide and mitigating the climate crisis, research indicates that marine and coastal biodiversity are currently under the threat of extinction. According to the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, extinction rates have accelerated rapidly in the past fifty years and almost a million species of ocean life are likely to disappear in the upcoming years. Due to the significant human reliance on marine and coastal biodiversity, it is unsurprising that these declines are caused by human activities, particularly overfishing. It is also due to the consistent stress put on marine and coastal environments due to excessive land use and infrastructural developments. The growing levels of urbanization in coastal areas encroach on the natural habitats and modify the functioning ecosystems via changes in currents and nutrient distribution, which would impact the varieties of species existing both across the coasts and within the oceans as well.
Additionally, industrial activities and dumping have enabled the spread of biotoxins and pollutants, which have been implicated in the mortality of marine and coastal life. These toxins limit the further reproduction and growth of marine flora and fauna, intensifying the levels of acidification in oceans. Marine and coastal life are also often harvested and overexploited for food and medicine supplies, which deplete the natural stock of species and drive them further towards extinction. All these factors contribute towards the acceleration of global temperatures, leading to a consistent rising and heating of oceans. The changing climate poses a significant danger to the ocean and coastal life as well as their habitats. Warm water species, including fisheries and coral, have already declined by more than half in the past decade as water temperatures are found to have increased enormously over a short period of time. In addition to the rising temperatures, oceans are absorbing an unnaturally high amount of carbon dioxide which results in ocean acidification. This process is not only critical for marine mammals and fisheries but also have been fatal for cretaceous species as it prompts the dissolution of their shells.
Marine and coastal biodiversity are crucial for the long-term sustenance of oceanic ecosystems. Protecting them requires the creation of comprehensive policies that protect and conserve all marine and coastal life. These policies as well as the precautionary principle and ecosystem approach need to be integrated into decisions that impact ocean life as well as the management of fisheries. Effectively conserving marine and coastal biodiversity also needs strategic and consistent assessments of their natural habitats and environments as well as regular monitoring to ensure that they are in precise conditions. Furthermore, these areas need to be identified, designated, and managed on a global scale to create a network of protected areas for marine and coastal life.
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