By Julia Rose and Christopher Cusack
The generation of goods and services on or for the oceans has been growing exponentially in recent years. Industries such as shipping, marine tourism, aquaculture and renewable energy contribute to a “Blue Economy” that employed 2.3 million Americans and generated $373 billion for the U.S. economy in 2018. Read More
Unsustainable fishing remains among the planet’s most serious and elusive environmental challenges. When it comes to the ocean, scientists agree that while reducing and mitigating climate risks is the biggest long-term threat, getting fishing intensity right is the biggest near-term need. Read More
No major global fishery ecosystem is untouched by China’s seafood economy. Its world-leading volume of fish catch and position in global seafood supply chains bring it to the forefront of critical economic and conservation policy issues. Read More
Over the past week, representatives from organizations and countries from around the world have come together for critical discussions about protecting and enhancing biodiversity in the face of climate change at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France. For the first time at the WCC, restoring ocean health was one of the central discussion themes, as a “marine journey.”
By Jim Leape, Kristian Teleki, Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted and Thomas V. Grasso, Co-chairs, Blue Food Cluster for the U.N. Food Systems Summit 2021
This op-ed was first published in ECO Magazine’s Autumn 2021 edition. View it here.
Our food systems are fragile and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conventional food systems, already stretched, have been undermined by outdated supply chains and exposed as vulnerable to climate change. Add to this:
Marine fisheries provide protein for more than 3 billion people worldwide, provide employment opportunities for more than 200 million people, and make significant contributions to people’s livelihoods, food security and well-being. However, due to climate change, overfishing, habitat destruction, marine environmental pollution and eutrophication, global fishery resources — including Chinese fisheries — are facing a serious decline. Read More
