Consultation on International Ocean Governance
"Oceans are a key source of nutritious food, medicine, minerals and renewable energy. They are also home to a rich, fragile, and largely unknown biodiversity which provides a variety of ecosystem services, including producing half of the oxygen in the earth's atmosphere, absorbing 30% or more of CO2 emissions and playing a key role in climate regulation. Oceans are already amongst the drivers of the world's economy and offer further significant opportunities for business. The potential for "blue growth" is enormous. WWF puts the overall value of ocean “gross marine product” at US$ 24 trillion1.
Today, population growth, global competition for raw materials, food, water, maritime security threats, climate change, marine pollution and technical capabilities increase the level of use of ocean resources, particularly in hitherto difficult to access areas and reduce the oceans' ability to sustain the delivery of the benefits upon which human society depends."
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