SDG 14: life below water- viable oceans necessary for a sustainable planet

Abstract

Oceans and marine sources are an indispensable part of our livelihood and providing environmental, social and economic benefits to a large proportion of human popula- tion. They cover about three quarters of earth’s surface and constitute 99% of the living space by volume. They are responsible for absorbing nearly 25% of the carbon dioxide produced by humans thus mitigating the impact of global warming1. But due to injudicious human activities, earth’s largest ecosystem is at stake, affecting lives of billions of people. Today, oceans and marine ecosystems are going through triple environmental crises- (1) impact of climate change (2) loss of biodiversity (3) water pollution from land activities, resulting in rising ocean temperature, ocean acidification and sea level rise2. These three drivers are not deteriorating oceans but also jeopardizing the well-being, livelihoods and food security of people, particularly those living in coastal areas. Studies suggest that by the end of the century, marine species richness near equator and Arc- tic is likely to decline. Moreover, all global warming levels in deep sea ocean will cause faster movements of tempera- ture niches by 2100 and warming over 2°C will increase the chances of extinction, extirpation and ecosystem collapse