16. 04. 2024 Olivia Jones

What happens after a whale dies? Life after death in the deep-sea

A whale's death is called a whale fall. Posted by Ocean Generation.

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A dead whale descends into the darkness of the deep-sea abyss.

In life, these majestic creatures travel vast distances playing an important role in surface ecology. But even in death, their decaying remains become a haven of life on the black Ocean floor.

Here in the deep Ocean the environment is sparse, offering fewer resources to sustain life. What falls from above, marine snow, is the steady trickle of dead organic material and supports an array of life on the seabed.

A dead whale is a 30-tonne avalanche of fat and organic carbon, equivalent to more than 1000 years’ worth of marine snow across 100 square meters.

Eventually, a whale fall (a whale’s death) becomes an island of biodiversity in the deep-Ocean.

1. It all starts with a feeding frenzy.

Soon after the whale falls, a variety of species descend upon it and the dinner party begins.

The first to arrive are the large Ocean wanderers such as hagfish (eel-shaped jawless fish) or gigantic sleeper sharks. These mobile scavengers remove soft tissue by rasping or tearing at the flesh exposing the energy-rich skeleton, giving the name of this phase the mobile-scavenger stage.

2. As the pieces get smaller so do the scavengers.

It can take up to two years for the mobile-scavengers to finish feeding on the whale, where the next wave of guests arrives in a second phase known as the enrichment-opportunist stage.

Animals like polychaetes (a class of marine worms) and crustaceans including amphipods (shrimp-like crustacea) will move in to feed on remaining blubber and burrow into the nutrient enriched sediments surrounding the whale.

The remains of a whale mean life to many deep-sea animals. — *Image credit: National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: OET/NOAA*

3. Finally, only the bones of the whale remain.

These would seemingly have no further use. However, ecological diversity is about to flourish in the sulfophilic stage of the whale fall. The whale’s bones provide a large reservoir of energy-rich lipids, a shining prize to deep-sea organisms.

Bacteria break down fatty lipids in the bones, releasing sulphides. The sulphides can be used to generate energy, in a process called chemosynthesis (producing food using chemicals as an energy source instead of sunlight).

These chemosynthetic bacteria have become resistant to sulphides’ toxicity and can establish bacterial mats which act as a foundational food source, supporting a huge array of marine biodiversity: sponges, mussels, limpets, sea spiders and snails.

The breakdown of bone-lipids can take 50-100 years and these mini-ecosystems are highly significant for seabed ecology. Even then, after the complete extraction of nutrients, it isn’t over.

Decades after a whale dies, it's still essential to marine ecosystems.

Decades after a whale dies, the whale-fall is still essential to marine ecosystems:

Some scientists believe there’s a further stage of succession: the reef stage. Even after the feeding frenzy, the whales’ bones can remain for more than 100 years, acting as hard surface for suspension feeders to settle.

These ‘habitat islands’ act as evolutionary stepping stones between other seafloor ecosystems like hydrothermal vents. This may have allowed sulphide-specialised organisms to spread across the seafloor and diverge into new species.

What happens after a whale dies? There's extraordinary life. — The remains of a whale fall near the Davidson Seamount in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: OET/NOAA

Despite whale-fall ecosystems being poorly sampled, 407 species have been found living off the carcasses globally, which is high for the bottom of the sea. Of these, 21 species can only be found on whale-fall, known as whale-fall specialists.

Whale-fall specialists are species that require a whale carcass to complete their lifecycle and maintain their populations. These marine organisms will jump from habitat island to island to survive.

For example, Osedax, Latin for “bone-eater”, are a genus of polychaetes (marine worms) found worldwide. They are important ecosystem engineers by eroding whale bones and allowing rarer species to colonise the whale skeleton.

How whale populations impact the global Ocean?

Whale-falls also contribute to the conversion of inorganic carbon (CO2) into organic carbon (marine life), a set of processes known as the Biological Carbon Pump (BCP). This carbon is sequestered (stored) in the deep Ocean.

What happens after a whale dies? Posted by Ocean Generation. — Illustration by J Yang

Whales deliver huge amounts of carbon in their biomass to the seafloor, which is then locked-away for centuries within deep-sea sediments.

Any threat to whale populations will threaten entire ecosystems and disrupt the process of carbon sequestration.

Commercial whaling, for example, has been depleting whale populations for around 1000 years, beginning in 1000CE. Experts agree that tens of millions of whales were likely killed during this period, pushing many whale species to extinction and causing the extinction of whale-fall specialist species, who rely on whale falls for survival.

A single whale-fall can provide everything a whale-fall specialist needs for 50-100 years, meaning there is a lag-time of at least 30-40 years before the decline in whale populations is felt. Which is to say, if whale populations can recover, we may be able to mitigate the impacts on deep-sea ecosystems

Whales make an incredible contribution to our Ocean.

As we follow the timeline of a whale’s life, we can see the incredible contribution whales make to the Ocean.

From enhancing surface ecology in life, to supporting entire ecosystems in death.

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Olivia Jones

Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea

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3. 04. 2024 Jemma Sargeant

How deep is the Ocean? Explore fascinating creatures of the deep.

Explore how deep actually is our Ocean, and what fascinating creatures live in it.

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Long regarded as an empty, desert-like environment with conditions too extreme for life to survive, the deep sea was historically considered insignificant.

However, our outlook on the deep-sea shifted when the HMS Challenger set off to circumnavigate the globe in 1872. It uncovered a diversity of deep-sea life previously thought impossible, and we’ve been making new and exciting discoveries ever since.

And we’re not finished yet.

According to Ocean Census, we’ve only discovered 10% of Ocean life. It’s estimated that 1-2 million marine species remain undiscovered.

What’s more, a staggering 50% of the Earth’s surface is deep-seafloor below 3,000m.

The deep sea was historically considered insignificant, until we discovered a diversity of life.

We’re constantly finding pieces of the puzzle to improve our understanding of this vast and complex world. From new underwater mountain ranges to previously undescribed species of deep-sea octopus, almost every deep-sea exploration mission yields mind-blowing new discoveries.

When we consider the scale of the deep sea, we realise that it’s not an unusual habitat at all. In fact, it’s the norm for much of our blue planet, and it’s our land-based habitats that are comparatively rare.

So, how deep is the Ocean?

Let’s dive into the deep Ocean and explore this weird and wonderful world.

Sunlight zone

We begin our voyage at the surface, in the sunlight zone. This Ocean surface layer extends from 0 – 200m (656 feet) and is where most of the visible light exists.

There’s enough sunlight here for photosynthesis, which forms the basis of the food chain.

Despite only making up 2-3% of the entire Ocean, the oxygen in every other breath we take is produced in the sunlight zone by photosynthetic plankton (phytoplankton).

Twilight (Mesopelagic) zone

As we descend below 200m, we enter the twilight zone. Only 1% of sunlight reaches these depths, so light is very faint.

Want to see how light disappears as you dive into the Ocean? Watch this.

Due to the lack of sunlight, there are no primary producers (organisms that get their energy from sunlight or other non-living sources). Animals that inhabit this zone depend entirely on those living at the surface.

Some scavenge on organic waste material that rains down from above, providing a vital source of nutrition. This “marine snow” largely consists of decaying matter from dead organisms, faecal matter, detritus and other inorganic particles.

Only 1 percent of sunlight reaches the Twilight zone in the deep Ocean. — *Image credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute*

Other marine life undertake a daily mass-migration to and from the deep known as diel vertical migration.

Like commuters making their way into the city, trillions of tiny deep-sea creatures ascend to more abundant waters during the night to feed. They then descend back to the deep Ocean during daylight hours to avoid predators and UV radiation.

This daily surface-to-deep commute is the largest daily migration of life on Earth, and is mostly carried out by zooplankton, krill, and other small amphipods (crustaceans).

Permanent residents of the twilight zone are adapted to survive in this (almost) lightless world. One of the most notable features are their eyes.

For example, the cock-eyed squid live between 200-1,000m. These lobsided creatures have an enormous left eye that’s permanently pointed up towards the surface, allowing them to spot the silhouettes of prey against the light from above.

The cock-eyed squid have an enormous eye that's permanently pointed towards the surface. — *Image credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute*

Midnight (Bathypelagic) zone

At 1000m (3,280 feet), light no longer penetrates, and we’re left in complete, constant darkness.

We have now entered the Ocean’s midnight zone.

It’s cold down here, at a constant temperature of around 4˚C, and the only light comes from the bioluminescence of animals themselves.

In this vast, lightless world, it can be difficult for animals to find food and a mate.

Light no longer penetrates the Midnight zone. — *Image credit: BBC Science Focus*

Some extraordinary species have adapted to overcome these challenges in astonishing ways.

1. Pelican eels have an enormous jaw relative to their body size.

This can unfold to engulf prey much larger than the eel itself, allowing them to bypass the size-based food web structure (individuals generally only consuming food smaller than their own body size) that usually exists in surface waters.

2. Cookie-cutter sharks have special suction-cup-like lips and bandsaw-like teeth.

Their specialised jaw allows this parasitic attacker to attach to much larger animals and gouge out a round chunk of flesh (yes, like a cookie-cutter).

3. Finding a mate can be equally as challenging: This is how angler fish have adapted.

Female deep-sea angler fish are famous for their bioluminescent fishing-rod-like lure which extends out from the top of their heads (think *Finding Nemo*). Male variants, however, are much smaller in comparison.

These “dwarf males” spend their lives scouring the darkness in search of a female counterpart. When he finds her, the male latches on to the female with sharp teeth.

This attachment is followed by fusion of the epidermal (skin) tissues, and eventually his circulatory system fuses with hers. He becomes a permanent appendage to her body, in a process known as sexual parasitism.

A female angler fish can have multiple males attached to her at any one time.

Meet fascinating creatures of the deep Ocean: pelican eel, cookie-cutter-shark and angler fish. — *Image credit: Pelican eel: Breathing Planet, Cookie cutter shark: Pally/Alamy Stock Photo, Angler fish: Monterey Bay Aquarium*

Abyssal (Abyssopelagic) zone

As we descend below 3,000m (9,843 feet) in the Ocean, we reach the pitch-black bottom layer known as the Abyssal zone. Physical conditions down here are still, with slow moving currents, constant near-freezing temperatures, and bone-crushing pressures.

Time seems to stand still. There’s no primary production and most organisms depend almost entirely on the marine snow that slowly rains down from above.

Physical conditions are still in the abyssal zone. — *Image credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute*

But it’s far from being a lifeless desert: The abyssal zone stretches across wide plains, towering seamounts and hydrothermal vent systems, covering more territory than all of Earth’s continents combined.

Inhabitants of the abyss move and grow very slowly to minimise energy needs.

Some individuals have specific adaptations to maximise their chances of survival. Tripod fish have modified pelvic and lower caudal fins which can extend up to a metre.

This allows the fish to stand on stilts above the seafloor, so that it’s perfectly positioned to eat any small fish or crustacean that come travelling along the currents.

The slow-growing nature of these abyssal ecosystems means that they take a long-time to recover from any disturbance events (if ever). Consequences of overfishing and proposed deep-sea mining of the abyssal zone will therefore cause devastating, irreversible losses to habitats and biodiversity.

The slow-growing nature
of the abyssal ecosystems means that they take
a long-time to recover

The Trenches (Hadalpelagic zone)

We continue our journey below 6,000m (19,685 feet) to enter the trenches (hadal zone): The deepest part of the Ocean.

The hadal zone was once considered unsuitable for the survival of animals. However, the rapid development of exploration technologies has allowed scientists to discover species belonging to many of different taxonomic groups at these depths, including crustaceans, molluscs, and echinoderms.

The Pseudoliparis snailfish is the deepest known fish. It was discovered close to the very limit of survival for all fish in August 2022 at 8,336m (27,349 feet).

Its adaptations include a flexible skeleton to tolerate extreme pressure, a gelatinous coating to improve energy efficiency, and a large stomach for opportunistic feeding.

The hadal zone was once considered unsuitable for the survival of animals. Posted by Ocean Generation, leaders in Ocean education. — *Image credit: The Guardian*

We continue down to surpass the inverted height of Mount Everest at 8,849m. A further two kilometres on, we reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench and the deepest known point in the Ocean (and Earth):

The Challenger Deep – 10,935m (35,876 feet)

The weight of all the water overhead here is over 8,000 kg per square inch. That’s roughly 1,000 times the pressure at the surface, and equivalent to 1,800 elephants on top of you!

In 1960, Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard made history by becoming the first people to reach the bottom of the Challenger Deep in the manned submersible Trieste. This record was broken on 26^th March 2012 when James Cameron made the first ever solo dive to the Challenger Deep in the Deepsea Challenger.

To this day, reaching the deepest known part of the Ocean remains a challenge for any explorer, and every expedition yields new discoveries as well as other, more ominous findings.

During the Fendouzhe deep-sea expedition in 2020, researchers discovered plastic bags, electric wire, a beer can and fibre-optic tethers among other forms of plastic pollution in the Challenger Deep.

This shows that even the most remote, hard-to-reach place on Earth is still not safe from human impacts.

We can’t treat the deep-sea as out of sight and out of mind. More work needs to be done to safeguard these precious ecosystems and ensure that life in the deep doesn’t disappear before we even have the chance to understand it.

Every expedition to the deepest part of the Ocean yields new discoveries.

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Jemma Sargeant

Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea

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25. 03. 2024 Serag Heiba

Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea

Sea turtle monitoring at the Red Sea, a Wavemaker Story by Serag Heiba. Posted by Ocean Generation, leaders in Ocean education.

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The Red Sea is a storied body of water that many have heard of, but few are familiar with.

Its history will bring up names like Hatshepsut and Moses, and its present is fraught with tales of piracy and political unrest.

But there’s another side to the Red Sea. As the most northern tropical sea, it boasts an incredible biodiversity that makes it both stunningly beautiful and ecologically vital.

I had the pleasure of spending two weeks with TurtleWatch Egypt 2.0, an organisation dedicated to monitoring the endangered sea turtle populations of Egypt’s Red Sea coast.

They launched as an initiative in 2011, and registered as an NGO in 2022. I was curious to learn more about marine conservation in my home country. To my luck, TurtleWatch was the perfect place to start.

Red Sea coast is a world-renowned spot for diving. — *Photo by Raimond Clavins*

Based in the small town of Marsa Alam, their day-to-day work may be a dream for many thalassophiles.

Mornings are spent diving in bays rich with seagrass and corals, snapping photos of sea turtles and measuring data like shell length and water temperature.

Of course, their work has less idyllic parts too. Never-ending paperwork, grant applications, and database updates are just as important to the organisation’s functioning.

A member of the TurtleWatch team photographing a green sea turtle. The photo will later be used to identify the turtle and update their database. — *Photo by Micol Montagna*

There’s one other thing that makes TurtleWatch especially unique: citizen science.

They were the first initiative in Egypt aimed at involving divers and snorkelers in marine conservation research.

How? By allowing visitors to the Red Sea to upload their own sightings and pictures of sea turtles, TurtleWatch taps into the potential of everyday people to contribute as citizen scientists.

These contributions help TurtleWatch identify important feeding and gathering sites for sea turtles, and better understand their movements and short-term migrations. It also helps them assess the impacts people have on these endangered animals.

They use this information to not only improve conservation and protection efforts, but to organise training sessions for dive centres and deliver “turtle talks” to young children, students, and tourists.

TurtleWatch delivering a turtle talk at a local kindergarten, as explained in a Wavemaker Story published by Ocean Generation, leaders in Ocean education. — *Photo by Micol Montagna*

Citizen science is not a new concept.

It has been used around the world to classify galaxies and track illegal fishing. But in a place like the Red Sea, which is understudied and where data is insufficient, TurtleWatch has managed to greatly extend their eyes and ears beyond their local vicinity.

Sightings come from all over the coast, and in 2023 they received over 1000 sightings.

It makes perfect sense: Egypt’s Red Sea coast is filled with towns and resorts buzzing with snorkelers and divers, so why not involve them in the effort to protect the very marine life they’ve come here to enjoy?

Snorllekers help safeguarding sea turtles with the help of citizen science.

As with everywhere else, the Red Sea hasn’t escaped the destructive impacts of people on the natural world.

Coastal development and tourism are polluting the marine environment and leaving physical scars, while warming waters and acidification are harming the Red Sea’s ability to withstand changes.

The good news is that corals in the Red Sea are some of the most resilient on the planet and could help us protect other corals reefs in the future.

Coastal development and tourism are polluting marine life in Egypt. Wavemaker Story posted by Ocean Generation.

But before that’s possible, we will need better regulations and more marine protected areas to safeguard the Red Sea.

Organisations like TurtleWatch—with the aid of citizen science—are doing their part to provide much-needed data and help protect this beautiful sea for future generations.

Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Serag!

Connect with Serag Heiba via LinkedIn. Learn about how to submit your own Wavemaker Story here.

Disclaimer: Ocean Generation has no official affiliation with TurtleWatch. Mention of or reference to TurtleWatch is not an endorsement or sponsorship by Ocean Generation. The views, opinions, and activities of TurtleWatch are independent of Ocean Generation.

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Serag Heiba

Serag is an Ocean advocate and storyteller from Alexandria, Egypt. He recently graduated university in Hong Kong where he studied environmental engineering, and is now working on a magazine about the Red Sea. You can find more of his past work on LinkedIn.

Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea

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7. 03. 2024 Katie Curtis-Smith

The art of not drifting apart: life lessons from sea otters

Sea otters hold hands to not drift apart, a Wavemaker Story by Katie.

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I took pride in my stubbornness as a young child. My family can attest to this.

For many years I used to make a point of objecting whenever museums or art exhibitions were suggested as “fun” family activities.

Wandering around such places for hours on end did not exactly line up with my vision of crafting mud pies in the garden to serve to my siblings.

My exception to this rule was the Seattle Aquarium. Seattle Waterfront’s Pier 59 is home to habitats with names like Life on the Edge, Crashing Waves, and Window on Washington Waters, showcasing the vast diversity of life in the Ocean.

To this day this aquarium remains an established part of the itinerary whenever I’m in Seattle.

The Seattle Aquarium showcases the vast diversity of life in our Ocean. A Wavemaker Story by Katie, posted by Ocean Generation, leaders in Ocean education.

Two current aquarium inhabitants are particularly special to me. Mishka and Sekiu are sea otters who I could watch for hours as they effortlessly glide through the water and playfully twist and turn and bump into each other.

I have a soft spot for this species because it was a sea otter poster that first persuaded me to break my previously steadfast no “fun” family activities rule and step foot in the aquarium.

“We hold hands in our sleep, so we never drift apart”.

These were the words written on that poster. I learnt that this phrase describes the way some sea otters have been observed to hold each other’s paws while resting in a group (called a ‘raft’).

Since that first aquarium visit, I have gone on to pursue a degree in biology. My days are now filled with learning about the pressing challenges of global biodiversity loss and climate change, alongside uplifting stories of conservation success and awesome cutting-edge research.

Otters hold hands in their sleep so they never drift apart.

One of my friends asked me recently if I had to choose one takeaway from my degree to share with others, what would it be? Given the breadth of the field of biology I took some time to think about it.

“We hold hands in our sleep, so we never drift apart”

I read these words again, this time printed on a Seattle Aquarium magnet, and now have an answer for her.

Our actions, big or small, impact our blue planet.

As a species, humans have picked up a habit of drifting apart from nature.

Societies across the world have grown, developed, and flourished. But societal complexity has historically come at the cost of increased disconnect from the wild.

Take a moment to consider where the food that you consume comes from. The journey the coffee beans took to give you that morning brew. The origin of the materials in the clothes that you wear.

Nature provides these resources that fuel our lives.

Yet for many products, disconnect from nature is a goal. After all, meat encased in neat plastic packaging is more comfortable to consume than the reminder of its origin in nature.

Humans benefit from the natural biological, chemical, and physical processes, such as nutrient cycles and food webs, that occur within ecosystems. Examples of these benefits, known as ‘ecosystem services’, include resource provision, crop pollination, clean water, and climate regulation.

Recognising ecosystem services is crucial because harm inflicted upon nature diminishes its ability to provide these essential services.

It can be easy to forget that humans are a species too. Our scientific name is Homo sapiens. Humans are an inherent part of nature, and yet we often detach ourselves from it. It’s as if when we walk out of that aquarium we are no longer connected to the Ocean.

This could not be further from the truth.

All our actions, big and small, impact the planet. As is characteristic of human nature, we have the potential for good, bad, and everything in between. For instance, while overconsumption puts pressure on ecosystems and the services that they provide, conservation programs act to preserve and protect the environment.

It is up to us – as imperfect human beings – to try our best, maximise our positive impacts and minimise the negatives.

So, how can we avoid drifting apart from nature?

Reconnect with nature by spending more time outside
Be a conscious and mindful consumer
Actively educate yourself about the Ocean and the environment
Engage with conservation initiatives

The connection between people and planet must be acknowledged. We cannot afford to drift apart from the natural world.

As if we walk out of the Aquarium, we're no longer connected to the Ocean.

Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Katie!

Connect with Katie Curtis-Smith via LinkedIn or her Instagram page. Learn about how to submit your own Wavemaker Story here.

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Katie Curtis-Smith

Katie is in the final year of her integrated master’s degree in Biology at the University of Oxford. Her master’s research explores how the extraction of construction minerals (such as sand, gravel, and limestone) impacts biodiversity globally. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Katie learnt about the importance of effective science communication, and she is a strong advocate for making science more accessible. Katie also completed an internship at Ocean Generation; contributing to our Science Team.

Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea

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20. 02. 2024 Jemma Sargeant

Why there’s no health without the Ocean.

A healthy Ocean is our greatest ally against climate change.

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Our health depends on the Ocean.

This statement is true, of course, but it’s very easy to become desensitised to this idea when it all seems so abstract.

In this modern world, it’s easy to overlook the fundamental basis of our survival that we often take for granted.

It can be hard to directly link our everyday lives and habits to the Ocean, especially for those of us who don’t live anywhere near the coast, and don’t interact with the sea on a regular basis.

This can leave many of us feeling disconnected and disengaged from Ocean action.

But let’s dive deeper into this statement to find out what a healthy Ocean really means to us (humanity), and why we ~~should~~ must care.

A healthy Ocean is key to our survival.

In fact, the Ocean provides all the fundamental resources that we need to survive:

1. Air: The oxygen in every second breath we take comes from the Ocean.

It’s also believed that tiny, single-celled algae called Cyanobacteria provided the atmospheric conditions suitable for our very existence around 2.4 billion years ago. (That’s referred to as the Great Oxidation Event.)

2. Water: All water on the planet is connected by a system known as the hydrological cycle.

Water evaporates from the Ocean’s surface to form clouds, which provide us with the fresh water that we use to drink, shower, and cook with.

It’s all connected via rivers, streams, and groundwater tables.

Even the water that makes up 60% of your own body was part of the Ocean at some point.

Our Ocean provides air, water, food and shelter for our survival.

3. Food: Seafood provides a primary source of protein for over 3.3 billion people.

That’s over 40% of the global population (8.1 billion in 2023). The Ocean also drives the rain systems and climate patterns which help our crops to grow.

So even if you don’t eat fish, the Ocean still indirectly provides the food that you eat.

4. Shelter: The Ocean has been present during every element of our evolutionary history as human beings and continues to shape the way our society functions.

River basins, where land meets the sea, represent the earliest relationship between human society and nature. These areas of fertile plain fields, rich soil and abundant water resources allowed for the very first human civilisations to thrive.

Over time, the development of ports also provided a gateway of connectivity and transportation between societies.

This relationship continues today.

As of 2020, almost 1 billion people live within 10km of the coastline, and more than one third of the world’s population (2.75 billion people) live within 100km from the coast.

What’s more, over 3 billion people depend on the Ocean as a primary source of income, the majority of these from Ocean-based industries such as fisheries and tourism in developing countries.

Healthy people need a healthy Ocean.

The Ocean contains a vast biodiversity of life, with over 250,000 known species and many more (at least two thirds) yet to be discovered.

Each life form has a unique method of adaptation against disease and pathogens. We’re constantly learning from this strange and alien world to apply these mechanisms to our own needs.

We depend on this marine biodiversity to develop modern medicines. In fact, between 1981-2008, around 64% of all drugs used to fight infection, and 63% of anti-cancer drugs were derived from natural sources.

For example, the Horseshoe Crab is commonly referred to as a “living fossil” and has survived almost unchanged for around 200 million years. Its blue blood contains special cells called “granular amoebocytes” which can detect and clot around even the tiniest presence of toxic bacteria.

Humans harness the special property of this blood to test whether the drugs and vaccines that we produce are free from contamination.

A healthy Ocean is our greatest ally against climate change.

A healthy Ocean stabilises our entire planetary system and acts as a buffer against the worsening impacts of climate change.

It regulates global air temperatures by absorbing 26% of total CO₂ emissions and storing over 90% of the excess heat from the atmosphere.

But the Ocean is not just a victim of climate change, it’s also a source of solutions.

Our Ocean provides all the fundamental resources that we need to survive. Written by Ocean Generation.

Coastal “blue carbon” ecosystems, such as mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrass meadows remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These ecosystems can lock away carbon in their soils at rates up to an order of magnitude faster than terrestrial forests.

Protecting and restoring these vital coastal ecosystems offers us a chance to ensure a sustainable future for people and planet.

If the Ocean thrives, so do we.

So, next time you’re having a drink of water, catching your breath after exercising, or waiting at the doctor’s surgery for some medicine, take a moment to stop and thank the Ocean for providing the fundamentals to make all this possible.

Our Ocean is not just a victim of climate change, it's a source of solutions.

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Jemma Sargeant

Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea

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9. 02. 2024 Katie Birditt

Diving into Kalk Bay: Exploring its past, present, future

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My earliest, enduring memory of the Ocean is a stretch of sea rolling away from a vibrant fishing harbour in Kalk Bay, Cape Town.

The harbour’s position along the False Bay Coast, as well as its rich marine life, played a crucial role in the city’s early development and prosperity. Little did I know this place would also play an important role in my own life.

Kalk Bay: A link to my childhood and the last connection to my grandmother.

The colourful fishing boats in the harbour that frame the glorious, shimmering stretch of Ocean in my mind like a postcard, idealised to a point far from reality. Today, with names like Star of the Sea and Lucky Strike, those old wooden boats seem struck in a rapidly receding past.

Change has come in great variety and moved with incredible momentum. All aspects of the scene have been altered – from the oceanography and to the social structures and human dimension surrounding the harbour.

I find it interesting and unsurprising, that when asked to think of a memory about the Ocean, the one I recall is so entangled with the influence of mankind. These two elements – human and Ocean – have been linked for centuries and seem unable to escape one another.

Wavemaker Story by Katie about Kalk Bay, Cape Town's past, present and future.

I feel this tension reflected in the complex and often contradictory nature of our social and ecological aims moving forwards as a society.

Progression too often comes at the high cost of our marine health, a lack of respect for our past and insufficient foresight for our future. All of this points to the difficulty in honouring and preserving our collective pasts whilst building future horizons in sustainable ways.

New strategies for managing the natural environment and its resources should include integrated approaches with new frameworks, stakeholders and communities.

Kalk Bay as we see it today

The Kalk Bay area may be reminiscent of the past, but the issues it faces are very much of the present. The harbour is one of the few still in operation, albeit a far cry from its thriving commercial days. Subsistence fishing (the practice of catching fish for personal consumption and not profit) is carried out with a handful of crayfish boats heading out each day.

With reduced operation has come tourism and commercialisation. You will find restaurants, pop up stalls selling gimmicks, and seals, who emboldened and adjusted to the crowds, sunbathe on the jetty.

Seal sunbathing on the jetty at Kalk Bay, Cape Town.

Just as the Ocean below has been altered by rising sea levels and an increased frequency of extreme temperature events, so too has the harbour. Unsurprisingly, the advancements and demands of modern life have been the indirect driving forces behind this change.

All the usual culprits – overfishing, climate change, overpopulation, and coastal development- are part of this problem. Fish stocks caused by overfishing and the violations of size regulations have impacted marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of local fisherman.

Coastal development have also contributed significantly to these detrimental changes by increasing pollutant runoff and nutrient loading.

This illustrates just how interrelated Ocean and coastal ecosystems are and how integral they are to both human and aquatic life.

Progression at Kalk Bay, Cape Town too often comes at the high cost of our marine health, a lack of respect for our past and insufficient foresight for our future. Article by Ocean Generation, leaders in Ocean education.

Not all hope is lost for Kalk Bay

Thankfully, there’s been a growing awareness of and respect for some of these pressing human-made threats, which has led to the establishment of marine protected areas. Currently, 15 % of South Africa’s total marine areas are protected with 1.7 % of this area fully protected.

Evidently, the South African constitution recognises the need for these conservation efforts and acknowledges the responsibility that the fishing and tourism industries have.

Eco-tourism has emerged as a way of protecting and sustainably using the environment, without negatively impacting economic growth and job security.

A growing awareness in South Africa has led to the establishment of marine protected areas.

We need solutions that engage local communities living in coastal areas. This would encourage the safeguarding of natural resources, improve the quality of people’s lives, and potentially assist in building bridges between sections of South African society that has historically been divided.

Approaches such as these work towards achieving a balance between developmental goals and environmental concerns; it’s of course an ongoing process. Therefore, it’s important to thoroughly research and address the priorities and gaps in this area with input from various stakeholders.

Katie, a Wavemaker tells us: My grandmother’s childhood saw the days when man could still outrun his actions without stopping to catch his breath and consider the implications.

My grandmother’s childhood saw the days when man could still outrun his actions without stopping to catch his breath and consider any of the implications. The harmony between human and Ocean that existed was only ever on a short-term loan, one with dangerously high interest.

The future seemed as it always does to those on the shores of the present: An island far away.

Katie, a Wavemaker shares this quote: My faith in the [...] next generation of changemakers gives me hope for the future of our marine and coastal ecosystems.

The generation of young people to which I belong to understand that preservation isn’t about merely respecting the present but also about securing the future. Therefore, my faith in the collective creativity and problem-solving abilities of the next generation of changemakers gives me hope for the future of our marine and coastal ecosystems.

Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Katie!

Connect with Katie Birditt via LinkedIn or her Instagram page. Learn about how to submit your own Wavemaker Story here.

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Katie Birditt

Katie is a part-time writer, full-time Ocean enthusiast and aspiring scientist. The Ocean has always been a place of wonder for her, occupying a special place in her imagination. Currently studying at Cambridge University, Katie explores her passion for environmental advocacy and activism as an ambassador for sustainability within science.

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31. 01. 2024 Sophie Coxon

The world was our oyster, when the oysters became our world

A seagrass meadow in Scotland part of the Seawilding marine conservation project. Image by Philip Price / Seawilding shared via Ocean Generation's Wavemaker Stories.

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An experience paving the way for community-led marine conservation.

Like many of us, until recently I had only ever associated oysters with gourmet restaurants and fine dining, an out of reach delicacy plucked from some distant, murky seabed.

After working with oysters, they are now a familiar part of the local marine wildlife, and a hugely important component in the global effort to restore and conserve our Ocean.

I spent my summer interning with Seawilding, a community-led marine habitat restoration organisation in Scotland. Their mission is to restore seagrass meadows and native oyster reefs, through planting seagrass, growing oysters to form new reefs, and developing successful methods that others can follow, to enable coastal communities across the UK and further afield to take action.

Woman diving into the Ocean shared by Ocean Generation in a Wavemaker Story. There's a quote that reads: I spent my summer [...] restoring seagrass meadows and native oyster reefs. Photo by Sophie Coxton. — *Photo by Wavemaker Story writer Sophie Coxon.*

The seascape of Loch Craignish

Set on the gleaming shores of Loch Craignish, the first time I slipped under the surface was like entering a whole other world.

The salty water enveloped me with an icy embrace, and the seabed materialised below. Vast meadows of seagrass glistened green, with dappled sunlight sparkling through the water column and catching the tails of Goldsinny wrasse and the occasional lonely pipefish.

Snakelock anemones waved like flowers from the grass heads, and red feather stars snaked their arms towards me as I glided past.

The fringes of the meadow gave way to soft mudflats, where sparring crabs and dancing prawns entertained passersby. Gobies and flatfish buried themselves in the sand, and large shoals of herring flicked like glassy shards in the distant blue.

The oyster reef was by far my favourite; thick layers of oyster shells stacked haphazardly covered the seafloor, carpeted by algae, barnacles and clumps of bladderwrack.

Fish darted in and out of crevices, startled by my shadow, and starfish lay clustered on the rocks, arms splayed as if holding hands. The plethora of animals, and the richness of the life surrounding me was quite literally breathtaking, so much so that I almost choked on the seawater a number of times.

It was inspiring to see so much diversity thriving in Scotland’s waters.

The work Seawilding’s team has achieved is clearly doing wonders for the wildlife of Loch Craignish, however this is only the tip of the iceberg in the marine conservation and restoration work we need to undertake, not only here in Scotland but across the Ocean.

Two images of marine conservation activities: Restoring oyster reefs in Scotland and helping restore sea grass meadows. Images taken by Sophie Coxton and shared by Ocean Generation. — *Photos by Wavemaker Story writer *Sophie Coxon*.*

The health of the Ocean is essential to us, not only as societies through its cultural significance, but also through its physical services.

Without healthy marine ecosystems, food stability will crumble, coastal erosion will rapidly creep up on communities, and the impacts of climate change will be less cushioned and more sorely felt.

Scotland’s marine wildlife: Then and now

Scotland’s coasts were once prolific with wildlife. Historic records speak of rivers “overflowing with salmon, onto the banks”, estuaries that had seemingly endless shellfish stocks, and open Ocean brimming with endless shoals of fish.

Oysters were once the food of the poor, and lobster was a common centerpiece at every dinner table. Lush seagrass meadows flanked the shorelines and wildlife flourished, everywhere.

We must start taking Ocean action to prevent further losses. Quote shared by Ocean Generation in an article about marine conservation programmes in the UK.

Now, there are no natural oyster reefs left off Scotland’s coast, and more than half of the original seagrass meadows have disappeared.

Dredging (removing sediments from the seabed), overfishing, and pollution threaten our coastlines more than ever before, and with the pressures of climate change increasing with each day, we must start taking action to prevent further losses.

Seawilding’s work, enthusiasm and passion for the marine environment is a sparkling example of how communities can come together to create real, positive change – something we should all strive towards.

Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Sophie!

Connect with Sophie via LinkedIn or her Instagram page. Learn about how to submit your own Wavemaker Story here.

Disclaimer: Ocean Generation has no official affiliation with Seawildling. Mention of or reference to Seawildling is not an endorsement or sponsorship by Ocean Generation. The views, opinions, and activities of Seawildling are independent of Ocean Generation.

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Sophie Coxon

Sophie is a final year student studying a BSc in Ecological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. She is a passionate scuba diver, snorkeler and beach-comber, and loves to combine her love of creative and scientific writing with marine research and communication. She hopes to work in reef ecology and restoration, and make a real impact in the marine conservation world.

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29. 01. 2024 Jemma Sargeant

Why is the Ocean so important?

Ocean wave crashing on a rock. Shared by Ocean Generation in an article about why the Ocean is important.

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Introducing the Ocean: Our most precious, life-giving, climate–regulating, yet recklessly exploited, undervalued, and underfunded resource.

Covering over 70% of our blue planet and holding roughly 97% of the world’s water, the Ocean provides the foundation for all living things. From the smallest plankton to the largest animal to have ever lived (the blue whale). And that’s just the beginning of why the Ocean is important.

Energy is cycled across its single, interconnected system; keeping everything in balance. It allows all life to exist together in harmony.

The Ocean makes up over 90% of all habitable space on Earth.

Just think about that. All the rainforests, grasslands, mountain ranges and deserts combined with every town, city and village of human civilisation make up less than 10% of the liveable space on our planet.

Everything else is Ocean.

The Ocean exists on a scale beyond our understanding. ocean facts shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health.

An Ocean which is home to the world’s largest mountain range (the Mid Ocean Ridge is over seven times longer than the Andes).

And the world’s deepest canyon. (Challenger Deep is six times deeper than the Grand Canyon and could easily swallow Mount Everest.)

This vast, interconnected body of water exists on a scale so large that it’s almost beyond the realm of our understanding.

But we need to understand why the Ocean is important.

The Ocean defines our planet and provides the very foundation of our existence.

If it could talk, the Ocean would be able to tell us all about the dinosaurs, the ice age, and how Stonehenge or Egypt’s pyramids were really built. The Ocean watched as the earliest Homo Sapiens (that’s us) took our first footsteps. It may even hold the secrets to the very beginning of life on Earth.

Two circle images beside each other: One of the pyramids in Egypt and another of a calm Ocean scene. Ocean Generation is sharing why the Ocean is so important in this article.

To look back at the history of the Ocean is to look back at the history of life itself.

For millions of years, the Ocean has provided the conditions required for the evolution of all living things. The Ocean burst into life during the Cambrian explosion (the *relatively* sudden radiation and divergence of complex life forms) around 538.8 million years ago and has seen all five mass extinction events since.

Make that six.

At this very moment, we are living through the sixth mass extinction event. Research shows that species are now going extinct between 100 and 1,000 times faster than natural, background extinction rates.

The delicate balance of life which has been slowly ticking along for millions of years has taken decades to unravel.

According to the IUCN Red List, over 44,000 assessed species are threatened with extinction.

It’s almost impossible to comprehend that we are hurtling towards destruction on a scale comparable to that caused by a colossal asteroid collision 66 million years ago. (That, the last mass extinction event, wiped out the dinosaurs).

Except this time, humanity are both the asteroid and the dinosaurs.

A pod of dolphins swimming in the Ocean shared by Ocean Generation.

Is the Ocean too vast to feel our impact?

People used to think the Ocean existed on such an infinite, untouchable scale that nothing we, people, could do would affect its limitless bounty.

“Man marks the earth with ruin – his control stops with the shore…”
– Lord Byron, Nineteenth Century.

Sunset image of the Ocean and a pink sky. Shared by Ocean Generation the global charity providing Ocean education to everyone, everywhere.

We now know that this is wrong.

Throughout the last decades, our Ocean has been heating up. It’s becoming more acidic, choking in plastic, drained of its fish stocks, and pumped with toxic chemicals at a rate far beyond which it can sustain.

We have borne witness to record breaking temperatures, mass coral-bleaching and glacial melting events. Now, we are hurtling towards a ‘new normal’ in which instability and volatility are centre stage.

We have been recklessly exploiting our Ocean system.

We have watched as records are broken time and time again.

But in 2023, the Ocean temperature record wasn’t just broken, it was absolutely obliterated.

In fact, the entire upper 2000m of the Ocean experienced shatteringly high temperatures. As this surface layer heats up, it’s less able to mix with deep water below. As a result, surface oxygen content has decreased.

Image of a glacier in the Ocean with the quote: In 2023, the Ocean temperature record wasn’t just broken, it was absolutely obliterated.

This isn’t only detrimental to marine ecosystems, but it also slows the Ocean’s life-saving ability to sequester (remove and store) atmospheric carbon dioxide.

The global water cycle has also been amplified by our warming Ocean. For us on land, this means stronger, longer droughts as well as intensified rainfall, storm, and flooding events.

Restoring the Ocean starts on land – with us.

Just like how people once thought the Ocean was too large to feel our impacts. Now, it may seem like our impacts are too large to solve. But we know this isn’t true.

We have the technology, the knowledge, and the power to turn the tide and reverse our trajectory.

We know this because we’re in many parts of the world, it’s already happening.

Effectively managed Marine Protected Areas, Maximum Sustainable Yields (the maximum catch size that can be removed from a population to maintain a healthy and sustainable fish stock), and the rise in renewable energy technologies are all ways in which humanity has learned to collaborate more fairly with nature.

Rainbow over a beach and the Ocean with the quote: We have the opportunity to leave our Ocean in a better state than we found it. Shared by Ocean Generation, leaders in environmental education.

Working with the Ocean rather against it can reap limitless benefits for both people and planet. If the Ocean thrives, so do we.

This knowledge is power.
Power to be part of the solution, to consider the cost of inaction and unite to ensure our Ocean’s health is considered in all decisions – personal, business, and government policies.

We have a unique opportunity to be the first generation to leave our precious Ocean in a better state than we found it.

Your actions may feel like a drop in the Ocean, but together we can make waves of change.

Start by signing up to our newsletter and reading about 15 climate actions you can take to restore our Ocean. Learn more about why the Ocean is important by adding it to your scroll via your favourite social platform:

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Jemma Sargeant

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11. 01. 2024 Jemma Sargeant

COP28 Outcomes: The beginning of the end of fossil fuels

Young woman in a fashionable dress shirt floating in the Ocean. Her eyes are closed and she looks relaxed. Ocean Generation is sharing COP28 outcomes in this article with a focus on Ocean wins.

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Everything you need to know about COP28 outcomes.

After a gruelling set of negotiations which dragged on well into the night, a new deal has finally been agreed at the UN climate summit COP28, in Dubai, UAE.

COP28 outcomes: ‘Fossil fuels’ finally make the cut.

In the face of colossal opposition from the world’s oil producing countries, and despite the highest number of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP than ever before, a global consensus has been reached. The world has finally agreed to transition away from fossil fuels.

For the first time ever, the elephant in the room has been addressed. ‘Fossil fuels’ have made it into the official outcome agreement at COP28.

Environmentalists celebrate the results of COP28 because for the first time ever,
‘fossil fuels’ have made it
into the official outcome
agreement at COP28.
Shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health and Ocean conservation.

This is the biggest step forward for climate since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015. And the COP28 agreement signals the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era.

The agreement follows the widespread fury sparked by an earlier draft, which was deemed a “death sentence” by representatives from Pacific Island nations. The new document calls on countries to “contribute to global efforts to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner.”

The deal also calls for a tripling of global renewable energy capacity and doubling of energy efficiency by 2030.

Ocean Generation questions if the COP28 outcomes go far enough to fighting the climate crisis. Alone, it won’t keep global temperature rise below 1.5˚C. But it may help the world to get closer to net zero by 2050.

Does the COP28 Agreement go far enough?

Despite the standing ovations as the new COP28 agreement was passed, many nations have criticised the final decision. And there are concerns that it hasn’t gone far enough.

With just six years left until 1.5 degrees becomes inevitable, it’s not the “phase-out” that we had all hoped for.

Put simply, the language of the text was weaker than many countries wanted.

There was no mention of coal or methane (the most potent greenhouse gas). A finance path to aid the transition for developing countries was also missing. There was also no request for developed countries to take the lead on the transition away from fossil fuels. This raised further criticisms over the fairness of the deal.

A ‘litany of loopholes’ scattered within the text provides enough ambiguity for fossil fuel producers to continue ramping up production. Examples include ‘abatement’ (A.K.A CO₂ removal); ‘transition fuels’ (A.K.A gas), and ‘fossil fuel subsidies’ to name a few.

Loopholes in the COP28 agreement text provide ambiguity for fossil fuel producers to continue ramping up production. Shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health and Ocean conservation.

This will have devastating consequences. Particularly, for the most vulnerable communities who are already bearing the brunt of the worsening impacts of climate change.

Opposition to the new deal was voiced by a representative of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The SIDS said: ‘You agreed the deal when we weren’t in the room’. This was meant literally (delegates from SIDS were still discussing their response to the text when it was agreed further down the hall). However, it also reflects that these nations feel overlooked, despite being the hardest hit by climate change.

Does the COP28 Agreement go far enough?

The agreement alone will not be enough to keep global temperature rise below 1.5˚C. But it may help the world to get closer to net zero by 2050. That’s if individual countries put a rapid transition to green energy at the heart of their new NDCs.

Here are some reactions from top climate scientists:

“At my lowest points as a climate scientist I did not think I would see a COP agreement that includes wording on the start of transitioning away from fossil fuels in my lifetime.”
– Prof Mary Gagen, Climate scientist, Swansea University

“The agreement, though inadequate, is an essential and sustained baby step towards the goal of limiting human caused climate change.”
– Prof Richard Allan, Climate scientist, University of Reading

Rainbow over the Ocean shared by Ocean conservation charity Ocean Generation

How does the Ocean fit into COP28 outcomes?

Multilateralism (alliance between countries to achieve a common goal) connects us all, and so does the Ocean.

This was recognised during the Nature, Land Use and Ocean’s Day. Countries, non-state actors and other stakeholders came together in support of nature-based Ocean and climate action.

Here are our top three Ocean-wins from COP28:

The importance of maintaining the health of our Ocean is getting recognised.

During the Nature, Land Use and Ocean’s Day, 18 countries pledged to implement Sustainable Ocean Plans. These plans are supported by the official launch of Ocean Breakthroughs.

These will provide a roadmap for change and aim to catalyse momentum across five key areas. Namely, marine conservation, shipping, aquatic food, coastal tourism, and marine renewables. These contributing countries represent 50% of the world’s coastlines and close to 50% of global Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ’s).
There’s an increased appreciation that the Ocean can provide solutions for mitigation and adaptation.

$186 million of new funding was pledged towards investment in nature-based solutions and Ocean-action. The Mangrove breakthrough was also formally endorsed by 21 countries. Its global goal is to protect 15 million hectares of mangroves.
And a growing acknowledgement of the need for synergy between climate and biodiversity targets.

The joint statement on climate, nature and people was signed by 20 countries. It seeks to align action on climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development. It recognises that a healthy Ocean will provide benefits across all three avenues.

Image of a woman and the Ocean. We cant solve the climate crisis without a healthy Ocean says David Eades, BBC Journalist and presenter. Shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health and Ocean conservation.

What happens next?

For world leaders: While the COP28 decisions are not legally binding, Parties (countries) are obliged to act in accordance with the outcomes of this process. It’s time for world leaders to head home and begin delivering on the promises made. Individual countries are required to submit stronger action plans in their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2025.

For COP: Fossil fuels have officially entered the global conversation. The work now begins to tighten this language and ensure a fair, equitable and just transition at COP29 in Azerbaijan, and beyond. To ensure a liveable planet and a healthy Ocean, we need a full ‘phase-out’ of fossil fuels before it’s too late.

For us: Together, we must ride this growing wave of hope and momentum, to continue advocating for stronger Ocean-action.

Stay up to date with all things Ocean:

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Jemma Sargeant

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22. 11. 2023 Jemma Sargeant

What’s happened on our blue planet since COP27?

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Extreme weather events and temperature records have made headlines more frequently in 2023 than ever.

The transition into an El Niño climate pattern (explained here) compounded by worsening impacts of climate change have resulted in an unstable year of weather patterns.

This is a trend which is set to intensify in the coming years.

The more often these events happen, the less headline-worthy they are and instead they simply become part of the norm. As the world turns its attention to climate change at COP28, we must recognise weather events as part of the larger-scale changes that are happening all around us, right now.

It’s also important to celebrate the key breakthroughs for Ocean-action in 2023 and use these as a foundation to expand our future ambition at COP28 and beyond.

The more often extreme weather events happen, the less headline-worthy they are and instead they simply become part of the norm.

Timeline of extreme weather events and Ocean wins that have made headlines in 2023:

Our Ocean regulates global climate and is inextricably linked to these extreme weather events.

How the Ocean is linked to temperature records broken:

Over the course of 2023, we saw the warmest Northern Hemisphere summer on record and the hottest September ever recorded (average global temperature reached +0.66°C and +0.93°C warmer than the 1991-2020 baseline respectively).

Unsurprisingly, since the Ocean absorbs 90% of the excess heat associated with climate change, these broken temperature records were not limited to land.

The highest ever Ocean surface temperature was recorded in August 2023, as widespread marine heatwaves spread across the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Gulf of Mexico.

This unprecedented heat stress caused a severe coral bleaching event in the Caribbean, during which the highest warning level alerted to significant coral mortality

September 2023 also saw the lowest mean winter sea ice extent ever observed in the Antarctic, with maximum coverage a shocking 1.03 million km² below the previous record low.

Scientists fear that this could mark the beginning of a long-term declining trend.

Graph of Antarctic Sea Ice Extent in 2023 shared by Ocean Generation.

As greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere, our Ocean continues to warm.

Warmer water absorbs less carbon dioxide, and the Ocean’s ability to act as a buffer and protect us against rapid temperature change slows.

How the Ocean links to storms and flooding events:

Weather systems are supercharged by our warming Ocean, as warmer water supplies more moisture and thermal energy to the atmosphere.

This process drives intensified rainfall and more powerful storm and flooding events.

For instance, Cyclone Freddy made landfall multiple times across Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar in February 2023, killing more than 1,000 people and displacing millions.

This was the longest-lasting tropical cyclone ever recorded (34 days long), and also broke the record for the most accumulated energy based on wind strength measurements.

You’ve probably also heard of a phenomenon called ‘El Niño’ which has been linked to many extreme weather events this year.

The Ocean absorbs 90% of the excess heat associated with climate change. Image of a dessert and the Ocean, showing how the Ocean is connect to everything on Earth.

What is the El Niño phenomenon?

El Niño occurs due to the periodical weakening of trade winds in the Pacific Ocean. This pushes warm surface water towards the west coast of the Americas and drives changes in wind and weather patterns across the globe.

The surprising impact of wildfires on our Ocean:

Wildfire events are growing in frequency and intensity across the globe, partly driven by rising temperatures, strong winds and drier conditions.

In a surprising discovery, severe Australian wildfires in 2019-2020 were found to cause abnormal algal blooms in the Southern Ocean, thousands of miles downwind of the flames.

It is believed that aerosols from the fire, which contain high levels of iron, phosphorous and other minerals, were transported downwind into the Southern Ocean. These minerals, which are usually in low supply in this region, acted as a fertiliser and caused abnormal algal bloom events.

In a surprising discovery, severe Australian wildfires (2019-2020) caused abnormal algal blooms in the Southern Ocean. Image of wildfires and Ocean corals, showing how the Ocean is connected to everything.

Artificial fertilisation events can disrupt natural nutrient cycling and marine photosynthesis patterns in the Ocean.

Further clues of these widespread impacts were seen in 2023. Huge wildfires in Canada burned all summer long, releasing persistent aerosol pollution over the Atlantic Ocean. Evidence of this was seen in the skies over parts of the UK in September, where incoming smoke diluted the sunshine, causing the sun to appear lilac in colour.

Only time will tell the impacts of this year’s events, but it’s clear that wildfires can have far-reaching consequences on underwater ecosystems.

Ocean wins giving us hope for the future.

2023 has been a monumental year for Ocean wins.

This year, we celebrated the agreement of the landmark High Seas Treaty, improved single-use plastic regulations, and the decision to pause deep sea mining among others. This is a sign of the ever-growing Ocean-recognition in local, regional, and global decision making.

Whale tail breaking out of the Ocean. 2023 was a momentous year for Ocean wins. Ocean Generation is sharing the Ocean wins that happened in 2023 and a timeline of other extreme weather events.

Each Ocean win moves us one step closer to effective Ocean-action, and it does not stop here. At COP28, we need to see continued momentum to protect and safeguard our Ocean into 2024 and beyond.

Stay up to date with COP28:

We’re sharing bite-sized COP updates, commitments, and Ocean wins on your favourite social platform.

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Jemma Sargeant

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21. 11. 2023 Jemma Sargeant

The Global Stocktake: Translated

Three diverse woem with the blue sky behind them.

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What is the Global Stocktake and what has it told us about the progress we’re making in the face of climate change?

The Global Stocktake is the first comprehensive assessment of global progress made on climate change since the adoption of the Paris Climate Change Agreement in 2015.

Essentially, it is a global inventory of all-things climate change: What progress has been made? What areas need more focus? Are we on track to meet our climate goals? (Spoiler alert…we are not).

What is the global stocktake? The Global Stocktake is the 1st comprehensive assessment
of global progress made on climate change since the adoption
of the Paris Climate Change Agreement in 2015. Shared by Ocean Generation.

In this critical decade for climate action, assessing collective progress towards climate goals helps us to identify key gaps, holds us accountable to our commitments, and allows us to work together to agree on solutions.

The Global Stocktake provides an opportunity for leaders to course correct by ramping up global ambition and avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis.

The Global Stocktake consists of three phases:

Data collection phase:

Culmination of all available information across all thematic areas (including coastal zones, terrestrial and marine ecosystem services, food, water, and energy use).

Technical phase:

Evaluation of information to produce insights and summary reports, written by a range of stakeholders. The findings were culminated in a synthesis report.

Political phase:

Negotiations, policy changes and decisions based on synthesis report findings.

This phase will take place during COP28 and is critical to determine how countries will respond.

So, what does the Global Stocktake report tell us?

The Global Stocktake synthesis report is a 46-page technical dialogue which serves as a factual resource and provides a comprehensive overview of the outcomes from phases one and two.

Key finding 1:

While the Paris Agreement has driven climate action, we are not on track to meet its goals. Ambitions and action must be ramped up to get us there. 

Image of speed boat in the Ocean making a circle in the water. Ahead of COP28, Ocean Generation - a global Ocean charity shares - While the Paris Agreement
has driven climate action,
we are not on track
to meet its goals.

Key finding 2:

Climate change must be addressed within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tougher, more transparent accounting measures are needed to accurately assess the credibility of climate contributions.

It is vital that marginalised groups (including women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples) are stakeholders to ensure that everyone can actively participate in these efforts.  

Key finding 3:

The large-scale systems transformation needed will be disruptive, so they need to be equitable.

Example transformations include shifting the current ways in which we get around to low-carbon forms of transport. This will involve shifting ownership from petrol and diesel to electric cars, and the entire reconfiguration of public transport networks.

Systems transformation also applies to the food and agriculture sector. We must find a way to reduce the land-footprint of agriculture, halt and reverse deforestation, and effectively manage fish stocks. All while simultaneously increasing production to provide for the ever-growing number of human mouths to feed.

These are the systems which underpin how we live our day-to-day lives, and they need to be transformed to better align human society with a climate-positive future. Therefore, it is vital that we focus on inclusion and equity to ensure that no-one is left behind.

Those most affected by climate impacts should be involved in crafting the solutions.

Key finding 4:

Global emissions are not in line with where they need to be, and the window to limit warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels is closing rapidly.

According to the IPCC AR6 Report, global greenhouse gas emissions must peak between 2020 and 2025 to limit warming to the Paris Agreement temperature goal. Global emissions have not yet peaked. 

Key finding 5:

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs – self-determined plans put in place by each nation to achieve its climate goals) must be more ambitious.

More leadership in reducing emissions is needed, particularly from developed countries. 

Key finding 6:

Systems change is needed from everyone, everywhere.
No sector can escape the need for transformation.

Two hands holding up a replica of the planet, symbolising that to take climate action change is needed from everyone, everywhere. No sector can escape the need for transformation. And everyone must look after our planet. The planet is in our hands.

Key finding 7:

A fair, just transition can be applied to a range of different approaches and contexts, at different stages of the journey.

Goals should be set in reasonable, manageable chunks to reduce the negative consequences of rapid systems change.

Key finding 8:

We must diversify the economy to cope with the changes that are needed. 

This includes contributions to the loss and damage fund agreed at COP27 and may involve restructuring entire supply chains.

Key finding 9:

We must secure a liveable and sustainable future for all.

No-one is safe from climate change, and greater focus (and funding) is needed to reduce, adapt, and respond to these impacts.

This is particularly vital for communities who are already feeling the effects but are neither prepared nor able to recover from disasters. 

Key finding 10:

Climate planning must be coherent amongst all sectors and regions, and adaptation measures need to be more streamlined, ambitious, and ubiquitous.  

Word cloud of all 17 of the findings from the global stocktake: our planet's first assessment - country by country - of the progress we're making in the face of climate change; created by Ocean Generation. — *Word cloud of the most-used words in the 17 findings from the Global Stocktake Report, 2023.*

Key finding 11:

Lots more support for locally led adaptation methods is needed. This includes improving access to critical resources and information, to empower communities forge their own solutions.

Key finding 12:

Despite the 1.5°C benchmark, we need to understand that impacts will worsen with every fraction of a degree of global warming, particularly for vulnerable communities who are already affected.

It is vital that we do not exceed certain thresholds and ‘tipping points’ which will lead to irreversible changes. Filling knowledge gaps is crucial to identify these tipping points and effectively avoid them.  

Key finding 13:

Climate finance is inadequate and needs to be urgently improved and scaled-up. 

Key finding 14:

Access to climate finance in developing countries needs to be enhanced.

Key finding 15:

Finance and investment flows need to be directed towards the energy transition and away from greenhouse gases.

Clean technology (eg. Renewable energy) is crucial to tackle climate change.

Ways of implementing this include:

De-risking investments in clean-energy technologies.
Creating pipelines of investible products for adaptation and mitigation.
Subsidies.

Key finding 16:

Clean technology (eg. Renewable energy) is crucial to tackle climate change. A reduction in cost and push towards scalability is needed to rapidly deploy existing technologies and effectively integrate them into grid systems.

More research is also needed to understand the role of technology and innovation (such as Carbon Capture and Storage) in supporting the transition.  

Key finding 17:

We need international cooperation to reduce the barriers to climate action.

This would involve empowering each nation to assess their climate risks and seek ways to improve them.  

breaching wave shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean education

What happens next?

The Global Stocktake is a vital tool to catalyse the urgency we need for robust, decisive action at the scale that is needed.

It will enter the political phase during COP28, where discussions will take place and a new round of NDCs will be released. These decisions will determine how the world responds to this information at such a critical stage of the climate crisis.

Read: Everything you ned to know about COP28.

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Jemma Sargeant

Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea

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16. 11. 2023 Jemma Sargeant

What to expect from COP28

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Everything you need to know: COP28.

It’s almost time for the world to come together once more, at COP28, to discuss our climate change commitments.

Ahead of this year’s summit, the Global Stocktake provided a useful inventory of current progress toward global climate goals. COP28 will therefore represent an important opportunity for course correction and increased ambition towards Ocean-climate action.

What is COP all about?

What is COP? The Conference of Parties is the annual conference and decision-making body for global climate change commitments. Definition of COP on an image of a woman with short hair, walking away from a singular yellow chair on a beach. Shared by Ocean generation in an article about COP28 expectations.

The Conference Of Parties (COP) is an annual conference where the main decision-making for global climate change commitments takes place.

And when is COP28? COP28 will be held between 30^th November – 12^th December 2023, at Expo City, Dubai, UAE.

The formal goals of COP28 are:

Energy and emissions:

Phase-down demand for, and supply of all fossil fuels, leading to an energy system free of unabated fossil fuels by 2050 (which basically means we’d be free of fossil fuels used and produced without interventions to reduce the greenhouse gasses they emit throughout their life cycle).

This includes tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvements across sectors by 2030.

Finance:

Ensuring that climate finance is affordable, available, and accessible to developing countries, by delivering the annual investment in climate action needed by 2030.

Putting nature, people, lives, and livelihoods first:

Investing in people and nature through the loss and damage fund and encouraging all parties to align climate action with biodiversity targets, since one cannot exist without the other.

Inclusivity:

Commitments towards strengthened collaboration with marginalised groups such as women, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, youth, people of determination, subnational actors, and faith-based organisations.

There is no room for phasing-down the use of fossil fuels in a net zero world. We must phase-out fossil fuels to protect our planet. Quote shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health.

Why is COP28 controversial?

COP28 has received a lot of attention from the media, particularly regarding this year’s COP President’s position within the fossil fuel industry.

Dr Sultan al-Jaber is the minister of industry and advanced technology for UAE, and the managing director and group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC Group).

Concerns have been raised about the impartiality of climate talks and the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists, for whom blocking fossil fuel phase-out is within their economic interest.

For instance, ADNOC announced a five-year, $150 billion investment in fossil fuel expansion in November 2022.

This is predicted to produce 7.5 billion barrels of oil and gas, 90% of which would have to remain in the ground to meet the International Energy Agency’s net zero emissions scenario.

How can we spot when climate-dialogue is shifted towards the interests of the fossil fuel industry?

Decoding climate dialogue – it’s all in the wording:

When navigating climate conferences, it’s important to understand key terms and phrasing which may open loopholes and derail progress.

Accurately decoding the dialogue helps us to stay diligent, see past greenwashing and spot false solutions.

This is particularly important during discussions on topics which divide the crowd.

Two little penguins on ice in the Antarctic. The accompanying wording reads: When navigating climate conferences, it’s important to understand key terms and phrasing which may open loopholes and derail progress. Shared by Ocean Generation as part of their series of everything you need to know about COP.

Here are some key phrases to look out for this year:

Unabated fossil fuels:

Fossil fuels burned without using technologies to capture the resulting CO₂ emissions.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):

The relative importance of CCS remains contentious in climate discussions.

What is CCS?

Carbon capture and storage is a process used to capture the carbon dioxide produced by power generation or industrial activity, transporting it, and storing it deep underground.

The science tells us that while CCS has the potential to play a key role in meeting climate change targets (eg. For heavy industry that’s much harder to decarbonise. And once we reach net zero, it can help tip us back the other way), but it’s not the silver-bullet solution to the current problem.

Focussing on mobilising CCS instead of simply keeping fossil fuels in the ground is a distraction. It delays the inevitable transition away from fossil fuels that needs to happen.

Phase-down emissions:

There is no room for phasing-down in a net-zero world; we must phase-out.

The use of the word ‘emissions’ also deliberately omits fossil fuels from final decisions. This ambiguous phrasing provides a loophole for their continued growth and development.

The focus must therefore be on ‘phasing-out fossil fuels.’

Ocean spotlight at COP28:

Motorised boat on a dry stretch of land that should be water. The words read: Our Ocean is increasingly recognised in global climate dialogue and will take the spotlight at COP28 during the ‘Nature, Land use and Oceans’ thematic day (9th December 2023). This dedicated day aims to support climate-aligned and nature positive use of land and Ocean systems.

This reflects the increasing focus towards ‘blue ambition’ and the growing recognition that when we protect the Ocean, we also protect ourselves.

Our Ocean is increasingly recognised in global climate dialogue and will take the spotlight at COP28 during the ‘Nature, Land use and Oceans’ thematic day (9^th December 2023). This dedicated day aims to support climate-aligned and nature positive use of land and Ocean systems.

This reflects the increasing focus towards ‘blue ambition’ and the growing recognition that when we protect the Ocean, we also protect ourselves.

Ocean action is climate action and climate action is Ocean action.
Ignace Beguin Billecocq, Ocean Lead for UN Climate Change High-Level Champions.

Are the conversations at COP going to cut it? We need action, not promises. Implementation, not good intentions. This article runs down Ocean Generation's expectations for COP28.

Ocean Generation’s hopes and expectations for COP28:

We will always welcome more commitments to safeguard our Ocean, but this year we want to see promises turn to progress, and ideas turn to action.

This includes: 

Decarbonisation across every sector.

New research suggests that we have less than six years before global warming of 1.5°C is inevitable. Rapid, widespread reduction of CO₂ emissions is essential to steer us away from this fate.

Decarbonisation efforts should seek alternative fuels and port infrastructure for Ocean shipping, enabling technologies to connect new and existing marine-renewable energy to the grid, and strengthened net-zero commitments across fisheries and aquaculture supply chains.

Opportunities to incentivise emissions reductions within the Ocean-tourism sector should also be considered.

Strengthening of mitigation and adaptation commitments.

Commitments made in the landmark High Seas Treaty agreement earlier in 2023 must be actioned in climate policies, to meet the goal of protecting 30% of the Ocean by 2030. Focus must also be drawn to the remaining 70%, to build progress toward the Ocean we need. 

Further restoration and protection of “blue carbon” ecosystems (such as seagrasses, mangroves, tidal marshes) within exclusive economic zones must be included in national commitments to ensure their sustained benefits (such as carbon sequestration and flood protection).

Mainstreaming Ocean-action.

Now, more than ever, widespread recognition of our Ocean’s pivotal role in combatting climate change is vital.

We need increased Ocean-recognition in global climate dialogue, and countries must commit to mainstreaming Ocean-actions into their national commitments.

These Ocean-climate solutions must be integrated into biodiversity goals since one cannot exist without the other.  

Blue carbon ecosystems reduce impacts of climate change. What are blue carbon ecosystems? Blue carbon is any carbon stored by the Ocean so blue carbon ecosystems are ecosystems that make that carbon storage in the Ocean possible. Examples include mangrove trees, salt marshes and sea grass meadows.

Inclusive and mobilised solutions for all.

No-one is safe from climate change, so no-one should be left out of forging solutions.

We need full empowerment and collaboration with marginalised groups, especially those that are disproportionately impacted by climate change. Community-led marine management should play a central role, and this must be enabled by providing access to critical resources and information.

Stable and accessible finance flows are needed to provide a healthy Ocean for all.

Filling knowledge gaps in this critical Decade for Ocean Science.

Strengthening of Ocean-focused research and standardised data sharing is critical to effectively implement and manage Ocean-actions.

How to stay up to date with all things COP28

Follow Ocean Generation on your favourite social platform for COP updates, progress, Ocean wins, and actions.

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Jemma Sargeant

Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea

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What happens after a whale dies? Life after death in the deep-sea

A dead whale descends into the darkness of the deep-sea abyss.

Eventually, a whale fall (a whale’s death) becomes an island of biodiversity in the deep-Ocean.

1. It all starts with a feeding frenzy.

2. As the pieces get smaller so do the scavengers.

3. Finally, only the bones of the whale remain.

Decades after a whale dies, the whale-fall is still essential to marine ecosystems:

How whale populations impact the global Ocean?

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