Wide angle: Oceans: Time to turn the tide: A state of emergency

Global warming, acidification, pollution, and overfishing are threatening marine ecosystems. This decline, which started at the beginning of the industrial age, is accelerating – putting the very survival of the planet at risk. By proclaiming a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), the United Nations intends to promote research and strengthen international scientific co-operation to encourage a better understanding of the complex universe that is the ocean. It also aims to find more sustainable ways to exploit its resources. But time is running out. Sixty-six per cent of the marine environment has already been severely altered by human activity.