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UN: Growing threat to oceans a global emergency
— Abhinav Rai
The recent sinking of the Liberian-flagged vessel MSC ELSA-3 near the Kochi coast, with potentially hazardous cargo, underscores the vulnerability of marine ecosystems. Kochi coast is rich in bio-diversity and this accident could adversely affect the community living nearby. The Kerala government has declared the incident a state disaster. Such incidents are detrimental to marine life and the overall health of the oceans.
The crisis reminds us of the growing threats to the ocean that the United Nations has called a global emergency urging world leaders to translate their pledges into action. In this context, thousands of delegates, including heads of state, scientists, and environmental advocates, are expected in Nice, France this week to mark the third UN Ocean Conference (June 9-13), which also coincides with World Oceans Day (June 8).
The idea of dedicating a day to the ocean emerged from the growing importance of ocean awareness and led to the declaration of 'Oceans Day' at the 1992 UNCED. It was later designated as 'World Ocean Day' by the UN in 2008. This year's theme is 'Wonder: Sustaining what sustains us'.
Against this backdrop, it's important to understand the oceans' spatial coverage, features, critical ecological functions, and the rising global concerns about ocean health.
Covering over 70 per cent of Earth's surface and holding 97 per cent of its water, oceans are the very essence of our planet, sustaining 94 per cent of all life. Oceans are the world's largest ecosystem, rich in biodiversity and home to nearly a million known species.
As highlighted by UN SDG-14, Life Below Water, focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources is crucial. Oceans also act as a massive carbon sink, absorbing significant amounts of CO2, while their phytoplankton produce over half the oxygen we breathe.
Furthermore, they govern the Earth's hydrological cycle and redistribute heat through currents, profoundly influencing global climate patterns. The convergence of warm and cold currents creates highly productive fishing grounds, like Newfoundland, by fostering plankton growth, the base of the marine food web.
Apart from being fishing grounds, oceans' continental shelves have vast reserves of fossil fuels and natural gas. Some examples include the Gulf of Mexico, the Siberian Shelf in the Arctic Ocean, the Persian Gulf, and the Bombay High in the Arabian sea.
The health and sustainable management of our oceans are not merely environmental concerns but fundamental to our planet's life support systems and global economic stability. However, increasing sea surface temperature, sea level rise, plastic pollution, overexploitation of marine resources, maritime accidents, and the increasing frequency and intensity of cyclonic events have raised concerns about the ocean health and populations living in coastal regions.
Oceans absorb approximately 23 per cent of annual CO2 emitted by anthropogenic activities and more than 90 per cent of the excess heat in the climate system. The increasing sea surface temperature is making oceans more saline and dense, adversely affecting marine life. This has made oceans 30 per cent more acidic compared to pre-industrial times, and lowered their oxygen levels.
Corals, known as the 'Rainforests of the Sea' are dying (also called Coral Bleaching) due to rising sea temperatures and other environmental factors. When water is too warm, corals expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. This is called coral bleaching.
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) has confirmed that during the 4th global mass bleaching event between January 2023 to March 30, 2025, bleaching-level heat stress impacted 84 per cent of the world's coral reefs affecting 82 countries.
Antarctica and Arctic regions are experiencing an increased number of ice-free days, while ocean warming is accelerating calving and the breaking off of glacier mass from coasts, which also contributes to rising sea levels. In addition, plastic pollution and accidents of cargo ships in the oceans are posing threats to ocean health.
India's geographic location with 11,098 km coastline puts it in a strategically important position along the Indian Ocean. As global economic shifts and geopolitical factors elevate the significance of the Indo-Pacific, India finds itself at a crucial juncture.
However, its ambition to become a maritime power faces multiple challenges – from conventional security threats to climate change, pollution, frequent cyclones, etc. These issues could have serious consequences for our coastal communities, maritime trade, blue economy ambitions, and the geopolitics of the region.
A 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report warned that since the 1950s, the Indian Ocean has been warming faster than any other ocean. It has led to a 20 per cent decrease in phytoplankton population in the western Indian Ocean.
Rising sea levels also pose a severe threat to major coastal urban centers like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata – critical for maritime trade and the national economy – and increase the risk of flooding, contamination of underground drinking water, and damage to infrastructure.
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) reported in 2021 that Catch of oil sardine has experienced a drop of 75 per cent along the Kerala coast compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, mega development projects like Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra are being criticised for displacing fishing communities and harming the region's marine ecosystem.
On the geopolitical front, countries like China, which have developed a strategic framework called 'String of Pearls' (or a network of ports and military bases) pose challenges to India's maritime influence in the Indian Ocean Region.
However, India has launched key initiatives such as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Maritime India Vision 2030, and actively participates in regional platforms like BIMSTEC and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to promote maritime security and regional cooperation.
Currently, about 30 per cent of India's population resides in coastal regions, and the blue economy contributes 4 per cent to the GDP. However, India's Exclusive Economic Zone, extending 200 nautical miles into the sea, remains largely unexplored and represents significant untapped potential.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has proposed adding a ninth mission, the National Coastal Mission, to the National Action Plan on Climate Change. It aims to address climate change threats to coastal zones, mangroves, corals, and promote better and sustainable use of marine resources.
India is also in the final stage of formulating its blue economy policy which aims to ensure the optimal utilisation of all sectors of the maritime domain – including living and non-living resources, tourism, ocean energy – for sustainable development of coastal areas.
Oceans support life both on and beneath the Earth, sustaining biodiversity and fulfilling essential environmental, ecological, and socio-economic needs. Yet, these vital ecosystem services are increasingly threatened by the multifold crises of climate change, overexploitation, pollution, and geopolitical tensions.
To support the implementation of SDG 14 – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development – UN Ocean Conference, 2025 is being co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. The theme of the Conference is, accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.
To sum up, unwavering global cooperation and conservation efforts are critical to safeguard ocean health, ensure secure and smooth maritime trade, and build resilient global supply chains.
How does the UN Ocean Conference 2025 seek to advance the goals of SDG 14 on ocean conservation and sustainable use?
The health and sustainable management of our oceans are not merely environmental concerns but fundamental to our planet's life support systems and global economic stability. Comment.
How does ocean warming impact marine biodiversity, and what does the 2023–2025 coral bleaching event reveal about the resilience of coral ecosystems?
How are climate change-induced threats—like rising sea levels and coral bleaching—affecting the socio-economic security of India's coastal communities?
(Abhinav Rai is a Doctoral candidate at the Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.)
