What is the UN Ocean Decade: Everything you need to know
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We’re halfway through the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science
2025 is the year NASAs Artemis III mission hopes to land the first people on the moon since 1972, we’ll welcome the year of the Snake in the Chinese New Year, there will be a total eclipse visible across some of North America, Greenland and Europe – and 2025 marks the halfway point in the Ocean Decade.
Its vision is encapsulated in the phrase, ‘the science we need for the Ocean we want’.
The aims of the Ocean Decade are;
Stimulating Ocean science and knowledge generation
Creating new opportunities for sustainable ecosystem development
Accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water which is all about conservation and sustainable use of the Ocean
Fostering international cooperation in Ocean science.
That is a lot of long words to say, the goal of the Ocean Decade is to put the Ocean front and centre.
How is the Ocean Decade helping the Ocean?
The UN has identified key Ocean Decade challenges and set targets to address them. 10 Ocean Challenges, aiming for 7 Outcomes of collective impact.
Here’s a simplified breakdown of the challenges (in reverse order just to keep you on your toes).
Challenge 10:Restore society’s relationship with the Ocean Challenge 9:Skills, knowledge, technology and participation for all As the great Jacques Cousteau said, “people protect what they love”. Restoring a link between people and the Ocean, instilling stewardship through education, is key to improving its health.
Challenge 8:Create a digital representation of the Ocean Challenge 7: Sustainably develop the Global Ocean Observing System 7 and 8 offer how to deepen that knowledge of the Ocean and use technology to further it and share it. Making models, exploring further and don’t forget to tell everyone about it.
Challenge 6:Increase coastal resilience to Ocean and coastal risks Challenge 5: Unlock Ocean-based solutions on climate change We can enlist the Ocean as an ally. It already absorbs up to 89% of our excess heat and has taken up 40% of carbon dioxide emitted. However, intensification of storms and rising sea levels threaten communities closest to the sea. Challenges 5 and 6 look at the practicalities of our relationship with the Ocean.
Challenge 4:Develop a sustainable, resilient and equitable Ocean economy Challenge 3: Sustainably nourish the global population Beyond that, our Ocean can be a cornucopia, providing food and resources. To ensure it is, these two aim to tackle the management and guidance needed to avoid a harmful relationship with the Ocean and benefit everyone.
Challenge 2:Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity Challenge 1: Understand and beat marine pollution Finally, Ocean Decade challenges 1 and 2 aim to protect and restore. Undo the harm that has been done to our Ocean, and tackle how it is still being damaged.
For a healthy planet, we need a healthy Ocean.
These challenges cover the full range, from prompting a sense of responsibility in people to tackling the specific threats.
The goal is simple – nurture an Ocean that is healthy, resilient, clean, productive and safe, but also predictable, accessible and inspiring. These are the outcomes the Ocean Decade targets. (Read: Why is the Ocean so important?)
We are all part of the Ocean Decade
Ocean Generation’s mission is to bring the Ocean to everyone, everywhere.
We translate complex Ocean science into engaging content and run three youth engagement programmes for 3 – 25-year-olds. Our Ocean Intelligence approach is endorsed by UNESCO as an Ocean Decade Project; making us part of Ocean Decades solutions. (Which challenge are we meeting?).
Look through the challenges, see if you can engage with any.
UN Ocean Decade: First look complete
Over the coming year, we’ll check in with the Ocean Decade. We will explore the plans it has, discover how it ties in with the different elements of the work we do, and summarise the progress it has made in a final check up at the end of the year.
COP29 finished on the 24th November 2024, after two weeks of tough, technical negotiations.
It was full of colouring books, expensive sandwiches and drama! Let’s break down the COP29 outcomes: the wins and disappointments – and have a look across to COP16 (the biodiversity one) too.
COP29 was held in Baku, Azerbaijan and was painted as the ‘finance COP’ with the hopes of a climate finance deal being agreed.
Hold up – what is climate finance? Broadly speaking, climate finance refers to any money “that seeks to support mitigation or adaption actions that will address climate change” – UNFCCC (remember what it stands for? Spoiler: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)
Richer countries – often referred to as the Global North (that also includes Australia, Israel and New Zealand) – have emitted the vast majority of the CO2 that is responsible for climate change. As of 2019, the Global North have emitted 2.5 times their fair share of the emissions allowed for 1.5 degrees of warming.
Countries in the Global North industrialised much earlier than the Global South, making a lot of money at the cost of carbon dioxide emissions. It has been called for, and agreed, that the richer countries should provide money to the developing countries, to allow them to develop without emitting so much CO2.
Furthermore, there’s a loss and damage fund to help countries most affected by climate change. Many of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change (sea level rise, droughts, heatwaves, floods, intense storms etc.) are poorer countries.
What were the themes of COP29?
So, what actually happened this year? Let’s explore a few of the themes that came from the COP29 summit this year.
Presents and petrol stations.
Countries have their own stands – as an opportunity for cultural sharing and integration. Many gave out gifts: Georgia handed out some wine tasters, the UK provided coffee.
Go to the Russian stand and you could pick up an ecological colouring book, full of tips for environmental sustainability. Some were slightly cynical, as it was produced by a major fossil fuel company.
Photos by Dharna Noor/ The Guardian
Fossil fuels have been present throughout COP29. Azerbaijan, the host country, is a country with 90% of its exports comprised of fossil fuels. The capital, Baku (save that for the pub quiz) houses the very first industrial oil well and was the world’s first oil town (dating back to the 1840s).
For the second year running, COP was attended by more fossil fuel lobbyists than the ten most climate change vulnerable countries‘ delegations combined. The host nation Azerbaijan, next year’s host Brazil and one of the countries competing for COP31 presidency, Turkey, were the only countries with more attending.
Although the 1,773 attendees from fossil fuel companies made up only 1.5% – there were only three countries with more.
Should discussions around climate change happen in the house of the industry most responsible for the damage?
Or does it represent an opportunity to engage and include those most capable of changing our world?
Al Gore said, “It’s unfortunate that the fossil fuel industry and the petrostates have seized control of the COP process to an unhealthy degree.”
Or, as Oil Change International member David Tong said: “It’s like tobacco lobbyists at a conference on lung cancer.”
The president of Azerbaijan made headlines this year describing oil and gas as “a gift from God”. This was denounced by a multitude of faith groups. And the Brazilian environment minister Marina Silva said: “We should take care in moderation of the gifts we are given – if we eat too much sugar, we get diabetes.”
A report published during COP highlighted that eight fossil fuel companies had paid at least $17.6 million to Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) alone for pushing their posts – 700 million impressions, all within the last year.
Activism has always been a big part of COP.
It presents an opportunity to make voices heard by the decisionmakers and gives a platform to send big messages.
Attendees of the COP29 summit were welcomed by a realistic, full-sized model of a dead sperm whale on the waterside in Baku. Created by Belgian art collective Captain Boomer, the piece hopes to highlight “the disruption of our ecological system”.
In the run-up to COP29, the cop29.com website was acquired by Global Witness, which called for fossil fuel CEOs to pay for the damage they have done to the climate.
There was a protest outside BP headquarters in London, and a number of demonstrations in Baku, including a large snake, with the message “weed out the snakes” – aimed at the fossil fuel attendees.
COP29: Agreements and outcomes.
After two weeks, and running over by 34 hours, COP29 closed with a number of agreements. What did all the sleepless nights in smelly conference halls produce? (at one point the plumbing failed, filling the corridors with the smell of you-know-what).
There were finally some numbers for climate finance – $1.3 trillion per year, needed by 2035. This number is based in the recommendations of the Independent Expert Group on Climate Finance (IHLEG). “At least” $300 billion of this is to come from developed countries. The rest could come from a range of sources including private finance and taxes on cryptocurrency, airplane tickets and the super-rich – known as solidarity levies.
There was no agreement reached on how to take the Global Stocktake from COP28 forward, so it was pushed back to COP30 next year.
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, describing ‘carbon markets’, was finalised, marking the last element of the Paris Agreement to be completed, although it was not agreed on. This just means that the text has been written, but countries have not yet signed on the dotted line.
The reaction to COP29 has been, optimistically, mixed.
The focus, following on from the expectations coming into COP29 (finance COP), has been on climate finance. The amount pledged by the Global North has come under fire: “A paltry sum” and “a joke” by delegates from India and Nigeria respectively.
However, some took a more positive view. Marshall Islands climate envoy Tina Stege said, “it isn’t nearly enough, but it is a start”. An observer was quoted by the Carbon Brief as saying, “momentum was neither lost nor gained, just maintained” so overall, it achieves “a passing grade”.
UNFCCC (remember what that stands for?) Executive Secretary Simon Steill said:
“This new finance goal is an insurance policy for humanity, amid worsening climate impacts hitting every country. But like any insurance policy – it only works – if premiums are paid in full, and on time. Promises must be kept, to protect billions of lives.”
$300 billion per year, it has been widely agreed, is not enough. But the creation of a deal is a good step and could be enough to spur on the further investment required from private finance and new sources, such as carbon markets and new taxes.
Outside the negotiating rooms.
Beyond the walls of formal negotiations, there were some bigdevelopments.
Indonesia, the 8th biggest emitter of CO2, unexpectedly pledged a complete phase out.
Mexico was the last G20 country to not commit to net zero, but did during COP29.
UK and the EU joined 30 nations in an agreement to slash emissions further, specifically targeting methane emissions.
China’s influence grew in the absence of strong US leadership. It announced the opening of the largest wind farm in the world.
Some NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) announced: UK pledged a reduction of 81% against 1990 levels by 2035. Brazil announced a 59-67% reduction against 2005 levels.
At COP29, over 70 events were hosted in the dedicated Ocean Pavilion over the two weeks.
What happened at COP16 (the biodiversity summit)?
Just 10 days before the first delegates landed in Baku, COP16 wrapped up in Cali, Columbia. This followed very similar themes. It was focused on money. Specifically, where to find the money required to tackle biodiversity loss and restoration.
The Cali Fund was established and though limited in being entirely voluntary with debated scope, can be a positive step.
Another main objective for COP16 was the updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, and unfortunately only 44 countries out of 196 had done so by the end of the conference.
119 countries submitted national biodiversity targets, building on the work of the Global Biodiversity Framework agreed on at COP15.
COP16 formally recognised the importance of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) to conservation efforts, creating a body to amplify their voices in the CBD.
At COP16, the Ocean was prominent in a way not previously seen.
The Small Island Developing States (SIDS) pushed for progress. The Maldives announced14% protection of their coral reefs with more protection pencilled in. The Azores announced the largest MPA network in the North Atlantic, protecting 30% of its waters.
Parties approved a new process to identify ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) (bet you thought we were done with new acronyms).
This doesn’t guarantee protection but can guide the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs) in areas that will be most effective, including the high seas.
Generally, the progress made for the Ocean was received very positively.
COP29 and COP16: the transition from negotiation to actions.
Awareness, knowledge and respect for the natural world is growing. Frustration at pace of progress is evident throughout the process, from those in the room to those hearing the news. We need to appreciate how far we have come, while also maintaining the push onwards.
What was top of the COPs?
Tops
Nots
Agreement to triple climate finance to $300 billion
Amount falls far short of that hoped by developing countries
Carbon markets approved after a decade of trying
Fears of carbon markets being misused in bad offsetting and fraud
Cali Fund established
No mandatory contributions – entirely voluntary, no guarantees
Loss and Damage Fund should be operational in 2025, and has $730 million pledged
No further progress on last year’s Global Stocktake – phasing out fossil fuels
Mexico and Indonesia surprise with net zero and emission cutting announcements
Some countries and parties obstructing progress
China announces more voluntary contributions to climate finance
Brazil has made it clear it intends to make COP30 a “Nature COP”. If it can maintain momentum, COP29 has given foundation for the transition into tangible action.
These big global treaties can feel very far away, and it can seem that there is nothing you or I could do. But we are the key parts of this puzzle. Appreciate every small action you take.
Turn down your heating by one degree this winter – barely enough to notice but saving a lot of emissions.
Be conscious of what you eat – choosing local, seasonal food can be your difference.
Get talking. You are already doing something important – staying informed. Having conversations with other people, making people more aware, is a crucial part of the process. Engage with us! We love to hear the actions you are taking, and we will answer every question sent our way.
Everything you need to know about COP: COP29, COP16s and the things between
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Heard a lot about the COP conferences but not sure what’s going on? Acronyms got you all in a twist?
Welcome to a white-knuckle ride into climate-summit world, where we explain everything you need to know about COP.
What is COP?
COP is our first acronym (can be written as Cop or all in caps). It stands for Conference Of the Parties, the name given to the group of countries (Parties) all coming together to make big decisions.
It consists of negotiations between representatives, presided over by the host country. They’re also used as a platform for scientific developments and activism: talks are held, and papers are released aiming to maximise impact.
Why are there multiple COPs?
COP is most used to refer to the COP of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – the big annual summit on climate change. The 2024 edition was the 29th summit, so it is known as COP29 – easy!
But COP can be used to describe the meetings held for other conventions too.
2024 also had the COP for the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) in October and the COP for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in December. Both of these are biennial (one every two years) and meeting for the 16th time, so both are known as COP16 – useful (not).
The three COPs were all created at the UN Earth summit in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, so are known as the ‘Rio Conventions’ or more informally the Rio Trio. They aim to tackle three major threats to humanity – climate change, biodiversity loss and desertification.
The Paris Agreement was negotiated at COP21 in 2015. You’ll never guess where. It’s a legally binding (means enforceable by law) agreement with the primary goal of keeping global average temperature well below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
The basic plan? Every country gradually ramps up their climate actions, detailed in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). NDCs are refreshed every five years, and the next round are coming in 2025 – watch this space.
The Agreement also provides a framework of support between countries. Financial, technological and capacity building support is guide lined to enable and encourage cooperation.
Countries also established an enhanced transparency framework (ETF) for gathering relevant data, which will then feed into the Global Stocktake, the progress report for our climate. The Global Stocktake will be published every five years, with the first released last year at COP28.
What does COP mean for the Ocean?
This depends which COP you are talking about.
Climate change is a global threat, against which the Ocean has acted as our shield for years. The Ocean absorbs excess heat and carbon dioxide, maintaining our biosphere’s balance. Ocean acidification, marine heat waves and intensifying weather patterns are just some symptoms of a stressed system.
The Ocean is our biggest ally against climate change and the actions at COPs can safeguard our Ocean. While they are not specific to the Ocean, the decisions made at COP can decide the health of our Ocean ecosystems.
The CBD COP (the biodiversity one) is more directly linked to the Ocean: at COP15 the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework officially set the target to protect 30% of countries land and seas by 2030, known as the 30×30 agreement.
Read more about the agreements made at COP29 and learn more about the outcomes of COP16 here.
The power of water and the science of passive cooling
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When interests collide: My love of water and fascination with ancient architecture.
I have always been fascinated by, and attracted to, water.
My parents would vouch for the fact that I immediately seek out the nearest body of water whenever we have the opportunity to travel… whether that be the warm Caribbean Sea, the stunning beaches of the Hamptons, or the cold glacial lake water in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. And as a child, they could never get me out of the bathtub!
My natural curiosity and desire to learn has led me to study various subjects of interest in STEM disciplines, and through my university studies I have discovered a genuine passion for ancient architecture and the associated technology and building techniques.
I’m a huge fan of interdisciplinary research (i.e. combining strategies and information from across disciplines), which leads me to introduce an unlikely connection to our Ocean, or more correctly water, that I discovered while researching the “Scirocco rooms” of Sicily, Italy.
How water was used to cool scirocco rooms hundreds of years ago.
The “scirocco rooms” are not rooms in the commonly understood sense, but rather man-made, underground caves. From the art historical perspective, they are important social gathering spaces.
Scirocco rooms were mainly constructed and used in the city of Palermo and rely on ancient technology to facilitate passive cooling.
During the summer, the dry and sandy Scirocco Winds from the Sahara Desert in Africa blow across to Sicily and send temperatures skyrocketing … to upwards of 40°C! Hence the need for a naturally cooled space, especially before the invention of air conditioning. These “rooms” were lavishly decorated in the 16-19th centuries and used as an escape from the sweltering heat of the summer months.
What is passive cooling anyway?
It is the process of naturally cooling the air flowing through a space without the use of external power or energy. So, the natural cooling properties of convection currents, properties that are hugely amplified in the presence of water, created a comfortably cooled space.
Views of the tunnel leading to the scirocco room. On the left is the base of the “wind-tower” and on the right is the qanat (Arabic for ‘canal’), covered today. Image credit: Saeli, Manfredi and Enrico, 2022. “La Camera Dello Scirocco Di Villa Naselli di Gela A Palermo.” La Camera Dello Scirocco – Periodico di Arte Cultura e Società.
How passive cooling works in a scirocco room:
Water flows from a natural spring across the terrain of Palermo to the scirocco room. Amazingly, the clay terrain naturally filters the water, and when it arrives in homes, farms or scirocco rooms it is sparkling clean!
The natural course of the water (flowing entirely due to gravity) is diverted into scirocco rooms through man-made canals designed after the Ancient Persian structure called qanat (process explained later in diagram).
The flow of convection currents is enhanced by the evaporation of the water in the canals, cooling the air more and at a faster rate. It’s like when you hop out of the pool in cool weather, you are instantly shivering.
The water is also directed to fountains, pools, and artificial waterfalls. This not only created a pleasant atmosphere aesthetically in scirocco rooms but also made it comfortably cooler for guests.
So, we can see that the power of water, found everywhere around us and flowing naturally through all sorts of terrain, can be used as a sustainable cooling mechanism, thanks to the natural principles of physics.
The Ancient Persian technology used to cool scirocco rooms includes qanat (the Arabic word for ‘canal’), to divert water, and “wind-towers”. The “wind-towers” act as the main point of hot air expulsion. These two features are still widespread and regularly used in the Middle East, such as in the city of Yazd in Iran.
Take a look at the diagrams below to see how these “wind-towers” work and how they amplify the convection currents.
Here’s what I would like you, dear reader, to take away from my exploration:
By sharing my research through various formats, including now through this Wavemaker Story, I would like to encourage all readers to uncover any and all of the wonderful and exciting connections to our Ocean… however unlikely and niche they may seem… and share this with those around you, because you never know how, or who you may inspire.
I discovered the amazing power of water in a completely un-STEM-related context. I was able to dive deep into the history and science of the use of water in architecture and find that water tied generations of Sicilians together through this architecture.
Our Ocean, and water specifically, hold great potential for ecological and sustainable solutions to current pressing issues as in the case of passive cooling. Our ancestors knew this quite well and I believe there is much to learn from pre-industrial societies.
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Sana!
Sana has always loved being in the water, although the Ocean was somewhat daunting. However, once she learned a bit more about deep sea creatures and the mechanisms behind hydraulic energy, the Ocean became a great fascination! She is pursuing master's studies at the University of Cambridge (U.K.) and researching the interconnection between the power of water and it's importance to the visual culture of early-modern (16-18th centuries) Europe.
Green tourism and Thailand’s unexpected wildlife revival
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Being well into summer, tourism in Thailand is at its very peak again.
It may not be obvious but the beaches that you see today have undergone a significant recovery during the pandemic. Many called it a miracle in disguise. It was a turning point that allowed for a more sustainable path forward to emerge.
To understand why, let’s go back in time.
During the pandemic, I took part in a beach clean-up as a high school community service project. When I arrived, I could see that all the beaches were empty, and it was unusual to see them without people as I have always linked the two together.
However, it was peaceful.
There was a lot less litter than I remember from my visit a few years ago, where there was trash every 5 meters along the coast and floating in the sea. I felt relieved for the Ocean and its community – this was probably the first break it had in a long time.
Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker
In the south of Thailand, numerous sea creatures such as fish, sharks, turtles and dugongs made unexpected appearances.
There were multiple news reports of locals’ observations of sea life, indicating that there has been a promising recovery of the marine ecosystem. I even saw my first shark in the Ocean at Maya Bay in 2023, a clear and unforgettable sign I witnessed firsthand.
But it wasn’t always like this.
As often happens, many of the following problems occur because of us, and our impact.
Pollution can arise from littering, air emissions, noise, or oil and chemicals. The most prominent is litter, ingested by marine animals or accumulating in Ocean gyres. Microplastics are another significant threat which cause toxic chemicals and disrupt food chains.
In the Mediterranean Sea, marine litter accumulates 4.7 x faster during the high tourist season. This mostly happens due to too much waste, from lack of resources, food waste and unfamiliarity with waste systems.
Anchoring and other marine activities damage corals and other marine environments such as seagrass beds. Anchors can impact 7.11% of the coral at popular sites every year. This has severe repercussions as corals are one of the slowest growing creatures – massive ones grow merely 0.3 to 2 cm per year.
Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker
How did this crisis turn into opportunity?
With the absence of tourists during the lockdown, conservationists seized the opportunity by repairing 30,000 fragments of coral in Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi Lee; collecting rubbish and cleaning the beach.
Moving forward, there will be rules such as limiting the number of tourists per day at popular tourist sites such as Maya Bay, Similan islands and Koh Tachai. Additionally, closing off the island at certain points of the year and increasing the strictness of regulations to move towards a sustainable future.
Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker
What is green tourism?
Green tourism is a more responsible way of travelling. It means being mindful of the destination’s natural resources and the local community to minimise our environmental impact.
Nowadays, hotels are being more sustainable by eliminating single use amenities and promoting the re-use of products. When travelling, it’s up to us, too, to make a positive impact.
Here are a few tips to be more sustainable when travelling:
Support local businesses & communities
Bring your own refillable water bottle (if there are no refillable stations, I often ask nearby stores/restaurants which may have large containers of water)
Consider traveling during off-peak season
Take public transport, walk or cycle
Stay on path and avoid interacting with wildlife
Avoid collecting seashells and sand
Do your own research on how you can minimise your impact at the destination you plan on visiting
After seeing the Ocean come back to life, I felt hopeful that we can indeed restore its health.
With green tourism, we can reduce our ecological footprint and make sure that the breathtaking destinations will be there for us and future generations to cherish. I believe that the Ocean and people can thrive together, but for that to last, we must appreciate and take care of it.
Cover photo by Prinn Vajrabhaya
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Ferra!
Ferra, from Thailand, is a certified island girl with a deep love for the beach. She believes in everyone's power to care for our planet and hopes to inspire action through her story.
They support a high biodiversity of life and provide key nursery and breeding areas for migratory species.
They’re also essential to the livelihoods of coastal populations, and we all rely on the important services they provide, such as carbon sequestration and protecting the coast from erosion.
Our coastlines are under threat.
If you’re wondering which of the five key Ocean threats impact our coastlines, the answer is all of them.
Because coastlines are the boundary between land and sea, our impacts are often amplified in coastal regions due to their proximity to the cause…us.
With more than one third (2.75 billion) of the world’s population living within 100km of the coast, it’s no surprise that coastal regions are heavily concentrated.
Coastal and marine land reclamation, the process by which parts of the Ocean are formed into land.
Infrastructure development for tourism, such as resorts and recreational facilities.
Development of ports, harbours, and their management.
This is a key driver for habitat destruction (when a natural habitat can no longer support the species present) and biodiversity loss. It also increases the vulnerability of coastal communities to climate change impacts.
With higher frequencies of natural events like cyclones and hurricanes, risk of erosion, saltwater intrusion, flooding and other cascading climate change impacts, coastal regions have never been this vulnerable.
How can we protect and restore our coastlines?
Enter: Nature Based Solutions (NBS). These are described by the IUCN as:
‘Actions to protect, sustainably use, manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems, which address societal challenges (such as climate change, food and water security) effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human-wellbeing and biodiversity benefits.’
In other words, when we protect and restore natural ecosystems, we provide a whole host of benefits to ourselves, too.
This can be done by restoring degraded ecosystems to their former glory and halting further loss of existing ecosystems.
Ocean Solution: Habitat restoration.
Habitat restoration is the process of actively repairing and regenerating damaged ecosystems.
Restoring coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, coral reefs, oyster beds and seagrass meadows allow us to address environmental challenges (such as biodiversity loss). It reduces risks to vulnerable communities (like flooding, erosion, and freshwater supply). It also contributes to sustainable livelihoods by providing job opportunities.
That’s why at Ocean Generation, we support a mangrove restoration project in Madagascar, led by Eden Reforestation.
In 2022 alone, this project contributed to:
Carbon sequestration and habitat restoration by planting over 4.3 million young mangrove trees.
Creating sustainable livelihoods by employing around 70 people per month at the Maroalika site, with a total of 1,468 working days generated over the year.
To halt ecosystem destruction and prevent further habitat loss, we must take measures to protect remaining coastal ecosystems.
One mechanism to achieve this is by implementing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). These are designated areas of the Ocean established with strict regulations to protect habitats, species and essential processes within them.
If implemented and monitored effectively, Marine Protected Areas can provide a range of benefits across biodiversity conservation, food provisioning and carbon storage
What is the 30 by 30 target?
In recognition of the importance of healthy and thriving ecosystems, the Global Biodiversity Framework have established a “30×30” target. This calls for the conservation of 30% of the earth’s land and sea through the establishment of protected areas by 2030.
Spoiler alert: We’re not on track to meet this goal.
According to the Marine Protection Atlas (2024), only around 8% of the global Ocean area has been designated or proposed for MPAs, and only 2.9% of the Ocean is in fully or highly protected zones.
Research also shows that 90% of the top 10% priority areas for biodiversity conservation are contained within coastal zones (within 200-miles of the shore). We must ramp up our efforts to preserve these vital coastal ecosystems and ensure that MPAs continue to benefit both people and planet.
What are the main challenges to implementation?
Over the past 10 years, interest in the potential of Nature Based Solutions to help meet global climate change and biodiversity goals has surged, as we have begun to truly appreciate the importance of natural ecosystems.
Despite this knowledge and an abundance of opportunities for implementation worldwide, marine and coastal regions still lack uptake.
We must address the barriers to implementation to accelerate the rate of success of coastal protection worldwide, including (but not limited to):
Conflict of interest between stakeholders i.e. blocking of protective legislation by fishing and other extractive industries.
Marine and coastal ecosystems are ‘out-of-sight, out-of-mind’. This results in a lack of public and policy awareness of their value. As a result, Nature Based Solutions are often overlooked in favour of grey infrastructure such as seawalls.
Increasing our understanding of the vital services provided by coastal ecosystems is critical to overcoming these barriers.
The more we appreciate what these incredible ecosystems do for us, the more likely we are to succeed in protecting and restoring our coastlines.
The history of Earth Day and practical actions you can take
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Everything you need to know about the history of Earth Day
Earth Day is celebrated annually on 22 April. It sparks environmental action and reminds us there is no planet B – but how and when did Earth Day start? We’re hopping in a time machine to break it down.
Can you imagine a time when factories polluting our waterways and spitting thick, toxic smoke into the atmosphere came with no consequences? Before 1970, that was the reality.
53 years ago, there were no legal or regulatory mechanisms in existence to protect our environment – even though climate change had started making the news in 1912.
Unofficial Earth Flag created by John McConnell includes The Blue Marble photograph taken by the crew of Apollo 17. Via Wikipedia.
A ripple in time: The birth of Earth Day
In 1970, amidst a growing environmental movement in the United States, Earth Day was created by the junior senator from Wisconsin: Senator Gaylord Nelson.
Public concern about pollution, deforestation and the deterioration of natural habitats was growing but environmental action and protection wasn’t yet on the US national agenda…
To force the issue, the Senator, along with activist Denis Hayes, envisioned a day dedicated to raising awareness about environmental issues and mobilising communities to take environmental action.
Although originally called the ‘Environmental Teach-In’ and aimed university students, the duo quickly realised their concept could inspire a wider audience. They renamed it Earth Day and pencilled it in on the calendar.
It’s reported that 20 million Americans took part in the first Earth Day (around 10% of the total population of the United States at the time).
They took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development.
From coast to coast, US citizens from all walks of life made it clear: They understood and were concerned about the impact we were having on the planet.
Their voices were heard.
In July of the same year, President Nixon called for establishment of the EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency. And in the 10 years that followed the first Earth Day, dozens of regulations to protect the environment were put in place in the US.
President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon plant a tree on the White House South Lawn to recognise the world’s first Earth Day.
The origin of Earth Day reminds us that we have immense power to influence political decision making.
When we care, and make it known we want political action, we let the leaders of our countries know they better want it, too.
Why Earth Day matters: A call to climate action
By 1990, Earth Day was celebrated by over 140 countries around the globe. Now, Earth Day is the largest civic observance in the world.
No matter where we live or how old we are, there’s no denying that looking after our planet is in our best interest.
The Ocean deserves a VIP invitation to Earth Day celebrations
If we look down at Earth from space, most of what we see is blue. Over 70% of our planet is Ocean, but more than just big and blue, the Ocean is the beating heart and lungs of our planet.
5 reasons to look after the Ocean this Earth Day
The Ocean is keeping us all alive. It provides over 50% of all oxygen on Earth. Simply put: If the Ocean’s ability to produce oxygen was compromised, we’d be in trouble.
Around 30% of the CO2 we produce is absorbed by the Ocean.
The Ocean helps regulate land temperature and drive global weather patterns.
Coastal “blue carbon” ecosystems, like mangrove forests and seagrass meadows, can sequester (store) more carbon in their soils than terrestrial forests.
The Ocean is the main protein source for over 3 billion people.
We depend on a healthy Ocean for a healthy planet. In the words of Dr. Sylvia Earle, “No water, no life. No blue, no green.”
What’s the theme for Earth Day 2024?
In 2024, the theme for Earth Day is Planet vs. Plastics. 422 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually – half of which is for single-use purposes.
Plastic is everywhere. It’s in what we wear, the items we use daily, and it’s even in the food we eat.
We know plastic was designed to be indestructible (so, it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon). We know it has numerous negative impacts on human health. We know single-use plastics are the biggest contributors to marine litter. And we use it anyway.
It’s safe to say: We have a problematic relationship with plastic.
This Earth Day, rethink your relationship with plastic.
What action can I take this Earth Day?
Say goodbye to unnecessary single-use plastics you can avoid.
As we commemorate Earth Day, it’s important to reflect on how far we’ve come and re-commit ourselves to leaving our blue planet better than we found it.
We only have one planet and it’s up to all of us to look after it.
Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea
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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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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!
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.
Post by
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.
The art of not drifting apart: life lessons from sea otters
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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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 shouldmust 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.
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.
But the Ocean is not just a victim of climate change, it’s also a source of solutions.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
The world was our oyster, when the oysters became our world
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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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Post by
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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![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.](https://oceangeneration.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/next-generation-of-changemakers-gives-hope-for-marine-ecosystems-1024x604.jpg)
![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.](https://oceangeneration.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/community-led-marine-habitat-restoration-organisation-Scotland-restore-seagrass-meadows-and-native-oyster-reefs-1024x604.jpg)
