17. 01. 2025 Will Steen

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.

What is the Ocean Decade?

In 2017 the UN General Assembly announced something exciting. 2021- 2030 would be the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, or (much catchier) the Ocean Decade.

Its vision is encapsulated in the phrase, ‘the science we need for the Ocean we want’.

The science we need for the Ocean we want encapsulates the vision of the UN Ocean decade.

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.

The 10 key UN Ocean Decade Challenges, posted by Ocean Generation.

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.

The goal of the UN Ocean Decade is to put the Ocean front and centre.

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.

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Will Steen

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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24. 10. 2024 Natthanicha Luengvoraphan

Can traditions become Ocean-friendly? The story of Thailand’s Loy Krathong Festival

Ocean Conscious Future with Traditions, Wavemaker Story posted by Ocean Generation

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Our Ocean, rivers, lakes, canals and other bodies of water have provided us with so much for centuries.

They sustain ecosystems, support livelihoods and offer vital resources. It’s no wonder that they are appreciated and celebrated worldwide.

In Thailand, a full moon night in November, during the Loy Krathong Festival, is dedicated to worshiping the goddess of water.

The Loy Krathong Festival involves floating a ‘krathong’ (a small floating lantern). This is an act of paying gratitude to the goddess that personifies all bodies of water and apologising to her for polluting the waterways.

Each year, I celebrate Loy Krathong dressed in my traditional Thai dress, making the krathongs and sometimes teaching younger students to do the same. I’ve floated them in a river, swimming pool, pond and even virtually with my school class through a website.

Thaliand's Loy Krathong Festival involves floating a krathong — *Photo credit: Natthanicha Luengvoraphan*

This tradition has been ongoing since the 14th century and with a growing population, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reported collecting 640,000 krathongs in 2023. With this vast amount, the environmental damage to the waterways cannot be overlooked.

The materials krathongs are made of make a huge difference.

Traditionally krathongs are made using a banana tree trunk, banana leaves, flowers, and candles. In the past, plastic and styrofoam were popular materials but since have reduced in numbers due to awareness of their adverse environmental impacts.

Materials that do not decompose have numerous impacts on wildlife, human health and economic costs. Aquatic animals can mistakenly ingest these materials or become entangled in them, leading to injuries. Microplastics and chemical leaching can lead to health issues from making their way up to the food chain.

The economic repercussions include the expense of clean-up efforts and the impact on tourism. Polluted waterways could reduce the appeal of natural sites, potentially deterring and disappointing tourists.

Recently, bread krathongs appeared with the idea that they would leave no waste, as fish would consume them. However, when excessive amounts of bread krathongs were floated, they ended up rotting as not all the bread was consumed. Since then, there has been an increase in the range of feasible creative alternatives.

Traditional krathongs are made using a banana tree trunk, banana leaves, flowers, and candles. Wavemaker Story, posted by Ocean Generation — Photo credit: Natthanicha Luengvoraphan, Wavemaker

How is the tradition of the Loy Krathong Festival becoming more sustainable?

BMA reports that 96.75% of the krathongs were made with environmentally friendly materials in 2023, a 1.05% increase from the previous year. In recent years, there has been a huge experimentation of materials people have brought to celebrate with. Some examples include ice, coconut shell, and cassava which take a short time to disintegrate.

Technology and innovation can be used to our advantage in allowing people to participate in events like Loy Krathong Festival without physically floating krathongs to reduce environmental impact.

In 2023, a technology known as projection mapping allowed visitors to doodle their krathong design on paper. These were then projected onto a river in Bangkok where 3,000 digital krathongs were floated. There are also multiple online platforms where people can write out their wishes and watch an animated krathong float across the screen within the comfort of their own homes.

Seeing how tradition and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand
is encouraging to witness. — *Photo credit: REUTERS/Thomas Suen/ File photo*

For those who still want to continue the tradition in its original form, people are embracing the practice of floating one krathong per family or group of friends to reduce the number of krathongs that need to be collected.

Experimentation and exchange of ideas can create a ripple effect, leading to more impactful solutions that enable more people to help continue tradition responsibly while enjoying it in new and innovative ways.

Seeing how tradition and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand is encouraging to witness. It’s inspiring to see how people are becoming aware of their environmental impact, striving for greater sustainability through creativity and innovation.

This is just one example of a tradition that demonstrates how cultural practices can adapt to modern environmental challenges. As we continue to innovate and integrate sustainability into various customs, it is clear that we hold power and capability in honoring both heritage and the health of our Ocean.

Loy Krathong Festival is a tradition that demonstrates how cultural practices can adapt to modern environmental challenges — *Photo credit: Natthanicha Luengvoraphan*

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

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

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Natthanicha Luengvoraphan

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.

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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6. 09. 2024 Sana Lamy

The power of water and the science of passive cooling

The science of passive cooling: A Wavemaker Story posted by Ocean Generation

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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.

Scirocco Room, where the passive cooling force of water was used.

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.

View leading to the scirocco rooms, where passive cooling was used — 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.

How Iran’s ancient windtowers work Download

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.

Passive cooling is cooling the air without external power. A Wavemaker Story posted by Ocean Generation

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

Learn about how to submit your own Wavemaker Story here.

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Sana Lamy

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.

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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6. 09. 2024 Natthanicha Luengvoraphan

Green tourism and Thailand’s unexpected wildlife revival

Green tourism and wildlife revival in Thailand. A Wavemaker Story by Ferra, posted by Ocean Generation

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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.

Ferra, a Wavemaker took part in a beach clean in Thailand — *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.

Green tourism in Thailand is the responsible way of travelling — *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.

Sea creatures such as sharks have made reappearances in Thailand. — *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.

After seeing the Ocean come back to life in Thailand, Ferra felt hopeful.

Cover photo by Prinn Vajrabhaya

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

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

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Natthanicha Luengvoraphan

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.

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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1. 07. 2024 Jemma Sargeant

How can we protect and restore our coastlines?

Protecting and restoring coastlines starts with us.

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Coastlines are the gateway to the Ocean.

Vital ecosystems like mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, coral reefs and tidal marshes exist almost exclusively in coastal regions.

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.

To supply the needs of this ever-growing population, coastal infrastructure development happens through:

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.

Coastal infrastructure development, posted by Ocean Generation.

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.

When we restore natural habitats we protect ourselves too.

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.

PSA: We plant a mangrove for every new follower on Instagram and newsletter subscriber. Sign up to our newsletter or follow us on our socials to be part of the change today.

Interest in nature based solutions have surged lately. Posted by Ocean Generation, leaders in Ocean education.

Ocean solution: Marine Protected Areas.

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.

The Global Biodiversity Framework calls for 30 percent of the sea to be protected.

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.

Restoring coastal ecosystems help address environmental challenges

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Jemma Sargeant

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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9. 04. 2024 Storm Birch

The history of Earth Day and practical actions you can take

The history of Earth Day explained, with practical actions we can all 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.

On 22 April 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated.

What did the first Earth Day look like?

Looking back at the History of Earth Day: An image of demonstrators in Philadelphia, 1970. It's believed 20 million Americans raised awareness about environmentalism on the first Earth Day. Image shared via Ocean Generation

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. Shared by ocean Generation. — *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.

The Ocean absorbs 90%
of the excess heat
associated with climate change.

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.

The 2024 theme for Earth Day
is Planet vs. Plastics.

What action can I take this Earth Day?

Say goodbye to unnecessary single-use plastics you can avoid.
Explore these 20 ways to reduce and reuse plastic.
In general: Buy less, reuse more, and become the friend who reminds everyone to bring their reusable cups and bottles when meeting up.
Implement these 15 practical climate actions anyone, anywhere can take

Riding the Wave of Change

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.

We only have one planet so we have to look after it.

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Storm Birch

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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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.

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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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.

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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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.

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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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

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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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

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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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

Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservation

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What is the UN Ocean Decade: Everything you need to know

We’re halfway through the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science

What is the Ocean Decade?

How is the Ocean Decade helping the Ocean?

For a healthy planet, we need a healthy Ocean.

We are all part of the Ocean Decade

UN Ocean Decade: First look complete

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