Living Blue Planet Report

Chapter 3: Why we should care page 47

An ocean of opportunity

Ocean ecosystems are renewable assets which, if maintained in

a healthy state, would continue to provide goods and services in

perpetuity. Substantial economic and social gains could be realized

by protecting and improving them, and from using them sustainably

and equitably to:

• Enhance food security, health and well-being. Improved
  and equitable access to food and raw materials from a healthy
  ocean would improve quality of life for hundreds of millions of
  people, as well as generating substantial savings from averted
  healthcare and social costs.


• Deliver more secure and cost-effective public services.
  Ocean ecosystems are a core part of a nation’s infrastructure
  portfolio, and should be invested in accordingly. Protecting
  and improving them to secure service supply would generate
  multibillion-dollar savings (through reduced need for
  man-made alternatives and avoided socio-economic costs).


• Build more resilient economies and businesses.
  Improved access to a sustainable supply of raw materials would
  insulate economies, businesses and supply chains from resource
  shocks, price volatility and disaster risks.


• Generate economic growth where it is needed, including
  through new businesses and job creation in coastal areas (for
  example in fisheries and tourism) – areas that often suffer from
  a lack of economic opportunities.

Protecting our ocean makes economic sense

Marine protected areas (MPAs) that effectively protect critical

habitats, species and ecological functions are an essential tool for

ensuring ocean ecosystems can deliver services and benefits to

current and future generations. Brander et al. (2015) show that

well-managed MPAs could help to reduce poverty, increase food

security, create employment and protect coastal communities.

They modelled a range of scenarios to examine the net benefits

of expanding MPAs. Increasing MPA coverage to 30 per cent of

marine and coastal areas could generate between US$490 billion

and US$920 billion by 2050 and 150,000-180,000 full-time jobs in

MPA management over the 2015-2050 period.

Marine protected

areas could help

to reduce poverty,

increase food security,

create employment

and protect coastal

communities