General

The oceans occupy 70% of our planet and constitute more than 95% of the biosphere. Marine and coastal habitats cover a variety of environments — from nearshore environments such as coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, estuaries, to deep-sea habitats, such as the high seas, hydrothermal vents, seamounts, and loose sediments from the ocean floor. More than a valuable source of food and various economic activities, the ocean is one of the largest natural carbon reservoirs. It stores 15 times more CO 2 than the terrestrial biosphere and soils in addition to playing an important role in moderating the climate. Deep-sea habitats are home to between 500,000 and 10 million species. Life on the high seas is essential for life on Earth because of its crucial role in global biogeochemical cycles, including the regeneration of nutrients. However, this extraordinary wealth of biodiversity and the services provided by ecosystems is not infinite. Today, human activities are seriously threatening the seas and coastlines through overfishing, destructive fishing practices, pollution and waste disposal, agricultural runoff, invasive alien species, and habitat destruction. Global climate change is making the situation even worse by raising sea levels, increasing water temperatures, and causing more storms and natural disasters. Seawater is acidifying due to rising levels of CO 2 in the atmosphere, with serious consequences for marine biodiversity. The oceans are severely underprotected, with only 1% of the ocean area having been designated as protected areas compared to nearly 15% of the land area. Countries that have adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity are addressing various challenges related to the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biological diversity. Applying the ecosystem approach and the precautionary principle, they focus on integrated management of marine and coastal areas, on the protection and increased management of areas of ecological and biological importance, on sustainable fishing and mariculture.