Marine biodiversity is considered one of the most important pillars of life on Earth. Oceans and seas contribute to the balance of the global ecosystem with their immense diversity of microscopic and macroscopic organisms, including plants, fish, mammals, and coral reefs. This diversity covers more than 71% of the Earth's surface, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and is a vital source of oxygen, food, and economic income for millions of people around the world, in addition to its primary role in adapting to climate change.
Despite the great importance of this diversity, many marine organisms are now facing the risk of extinction, such as the vaquita dolphin, of which fewer than ten individuals remain, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the gray whale whose numbers have significantly decreased, and sea turtles, most of which are classified as endangered. Coral reefs also face a 90% risk of disappearance by 2050 if carbon emissions continue, as stated in the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); this threatens the collapse of entire natural habitats for thousands of species.
Marine organisms play a pivotal role in human life, as they are a primary source of food, providing animal protein for billions of people, and supporting millions of jobs in the fishing sector. Some organisms are also used in the production of medicines to treat cancer and chronic diseases, such as the drug "cytarabine" extracted from marine sponges. Oceans contribute to climate regulation and carbon dioxide absorption, absorbing about 30% of human-caused emissions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which slows down the pace of global warming.
The extinction of marine species has serious repercussions on food security, leading to the disruption of marine food chains, harming coastal communities, and increasing poverty and unemployment rates. It also weakens humanity's ability to discover new medicines extracted from marine nature and exacerbates the effects of climate change due to the reduced capacity of the seas to absorb greenhouse gases.
To protect this vital heritage, it is essential to expand marine protected areas and activate oversight mechanisms, promote sustainable fishing practices like those applied in Norway according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) standards, and reduce plastic and chemical pollution in the waters. Support for scientific research and modern technologies for monitoring environmental changes is also necessary, as is encouraging coral reef rehabilitation efforts and coordinating international efforts to reduce pollutant gas emissions, as stipulated in the Paris Agreement on Climate 2015.
Preserving marine biodiversity remains a shared responsibility among governments, communities, and individuals, as humanity cannot ensure its healthy, food-secure, and climate-stable future without protecting this blue treasure that provides us with life, through adopting efforts such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14).