The ocean and its resources provide key ecosystem services and benefits that are crucial for human wellbeing and the prosperity of the global economy, but these services are at risk. The ocean’s wide range of ecosystem services (including food, energy, recreational/ cultural services and trading/transport routes) is vital for the well-being of society. However, climate change, overfishing, pollution and a loss of biodiversity and coastal ecosystems are eroding the ability of the ocean to sustain livelihoods and prosperity.

The ocean faces urgent environmental challenges and taking action to protect ocean-based ecosystems and ensure the environmental sustainability of ocean-based activities will help deliver a host of benefits to society.

Building on the Special Report The Ocean as a Solution to Climate Change: Five Opportunities for Action, this new Ocean Panel–commissioned research finds that investing $1 in key ocean actions can yield at least $5 in global benefits, often more, over the next 30 years.

Specifically, investing $2 trillion to $3.7 trillion globally from 2020 to 2050 across four key areas—conserving and restoring mangrove habitats, scaling up offshore wind production, decarbonising international shipping and increasing the production of sustainably sourced ocean-based proteins—would generate $8.2 trillion to $22.8 trillion in net benefits, a rate of return on investment of 450%–615%.

Key findings:

• Every $1 invested in mangrove conservation and restoration generates a benefit of $3
• Every $1 invested in scaling up global o shore wind production generates a benefit estimated at $2–$17
• Every $1 invested in decarbonising international shipping and reducing emissions to net zero is estimated to generate a return of $2–$5
• Every $1 invested in increasing production of sustainably sourced ocean-based protein (to ensure a healthy, balanced diet by 2050) is estimated to yield $10 in benefits

Download the full report here