Fighting the rising tide of the ocean environmental crisis

The author describes a 'multidimensional crisis' facing the world's oceans, characterized by rising temperatures, acidification, and oxygen depletion caused by human-made climate change. The text highlights the severe impact of overfishing—specifically illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing—and the projected growth of plastic waste. It criticizes the insufficiency of current international frameworks and specifically calls out the Japanese government for fragmented policies, a lack of political interest in high-seas protections, and declining research funding, urging a shift toward science-based policy and increased public awareness.

• The world's oceans are experiencing a multidimensional crisis where human-made climate change has caused the oceans to absorb 90% of excess heat and 20%-30% of CO2 generated by human activities since the 1980s, leading to 'ocean heat waves' and ocean acidification.
• Overfishing and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing pose a threat to global food security; the FAO estimates that IUU fishing accounts for 26 million tonnes of fish annually, representing 30% of the total annual catch with a value up to $23 billion.
• Plastic pollution is a critical growing issue, with estimates suggesting that by 2050, the mass of plastic waste in the ocean will exceed the total mass of fish.
• International efforts to protect the marine environment are deemed insufficient, citing the failure of COP25 to properly address conservation, the lack of a concrete international framework for plastic pollution, and stalled negotiations regarding marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).
• Japan's approach to marine protection is described as fragmented and lagging behind other developed nations, characterized by a reluctance to establish high-seas protected areas, a history of opposing endangered species protections under the Washington Convention, and a sharp decline in marine research funding.

APA

Ida, T. (2020). Fighting the rising tide of the ocean environmental crisis. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/fighting-the-rising-tide-of-the-ocean-environmental-crisis/

Chicago

Ida, Tetsuji. Fighting the rising tide of the ocean environmental crisis. World Economic Forum, 2020. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/fighting-the-rising-tide-of-the-ocean-environmental-crisis/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Ida |first1=Tetsuji |title=Fighting the rising tide of the ocean environmental crisis |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=29 May 2020 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/fighting-the-rising-tide-of-the-ocean-environmental-crisis/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{ida2020fighting, author = {Ida, Tetsuji}, title = {{Fighting the rising tide of the ocean environmental crisis}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2020}, month = may, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/fighting-the-rising-tide-of-the-ocean-environmental-crisis/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }