According to the organization, each goal measures the delivery of specific benefits with respect to a sustainable target. A goal is given a score of 100 if its maximum sustainable benefits are gained in ways that do not compromise the ocean’s ability to recover. "Lower scores indicate that more benefits could be gained or that current methods are harming the delivery of future benefits", it says.
Out of a score of a 100, Australia is ranked with the overall score number 77, but there is not much to celebrate, as there is so much that needs to be improved. According to the document, here are the recommendations for Australia:
- To invest in more sustainable mariculture systems
- To improve sustainable harvests of natural products in many regions
- The reference point for Coastal Protection compares the current extent and condition of protective habitats to their condition and extent in the early 1980s. The current score indicates that although, in many places these habitats remain healthy and intact, the extents of all five habitats have been substantially reduced or degraded – this is a point of attention
- The Tourism & Recreation goal aims to capture the experience people have visiting coastal and marine areas and attractions. Low scores for many regions where tourism is unsafe or unappealing owing to poverty, political turmoil, war or other volatile conditions depress the global score and will likely do so until those fundamental conditions improve.
- The reference point is that there should be zero pollution from chemicals, nutrient, human pathogens and trash. The current score indicates that there are large opportunities for improvement. Reducing the inflow of chemicals, nutrients, human and animal wastes and trash requires remedial actions at every level of society as well as adjustments to behaviour on an individual basis.
Globally, the oceans are losing marine ecosystems and species. They are acidifying and warming up due to absorbing high amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They are so full of plastic to the point of, if no reduction of plastic happens at all, there will be more plastic than fishes in the oceans within only 30 years.
If you want to learn more about this research and investigate the health of the ocean in your home country, click here.
We need to take care of the oceans - not someday or at some point, not tomorrow: NOW!
It is no coincidence that from 6th of April 2020, both domestic and international students will have the opportunity to start studying the Certificate II (high school) and III in Marine Habitat Conservation and Restoration in our Gold Coast Campus. This is our way of helping the oceans - not only because without them, we as a species surely cannot survive, but mostly because the ocean and all marine systems are sacred and deserve our maximum reverence and respect.
