97 percent of world’s oceans not effectively protected

-Falls short of 2030 conservation goals

By Samuel Ogunsona

A recent report has revealed that about 97 percent of World oceans are left unprotected.

This is despite global efforts to conserve 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.

The report indicated that only 2.8% of oceans are effectively protected.

This staggering gap between pledge and action raises concerns about the long-term health of marine ecosystems and the billions of people relying on them for livelihood and food security.

The “30×30” target, agreed upon at the COP15 UN Biodiversity Conference in 2022, aims to safeguard marine biodiversity and preserve the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon emissions.

However, the report shows that progress has been slow, with only 8.3% of the world’s ocean designated as marine protected areas (MPAs), most of which are inadequately regulated.

The global marine area under some form of protection has increased by just 0.5% since 2022, indicating a lack of urgency in addressing the issue. At this rate, only 9.7% of the ocean will be protected by 2030, far short of the 30% target.

Experts warn that the broad definition of MPAs allows for “blue washing,” enabling harmful activities like industrial-scale fishing and oil extraction to continue.

The report urges governments to act with urgency, emphasizing the importance of meaningful protection and sufficient resources.

Beth Pike, Director of Marine Protection Atlas, notes, “The gap between pledge and action is vast, and without urgent, meaningful protection, the 30×30 goal will remain unrealized. The time to turn commitments into real, meaningful change is now – because our ocean can’t wait.”

Melissa Wright, Bloomberg Ocean Initiative lead at Bloomberg Philanthropies, adds, “The 30×30 target is a historic opportunity to secure a sustainable future for the ocean. Despite some progress, this new report shows that not only has progress been almost non-existent since 2022, but the majority of existing and new marine protected areas are unlikely to provide meaningful protection to marine biodiversity.”

The report calls for increased action and funding to address the significant gaps in ocean conservation, emphasizing the critical role of effective protection in preserving marine ecosystems and supporting human well-being.