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Why Is the Ocean Important. The Ocean is a vital lift support system. Everything that we rely on in our day to day lives leads back to it. The Ocean is the foundation of all life, an extraordinary and largely unexplored place, teeming with fascinatingly diverse plants and animals which, together with currents and natural systems, shape our planet.
- Ocean in Distress
- Closing The Safety Gap
- Emerging Health Threats
- Cures from The Deep
When we think of public health risks, we may not think of the ocean as a factor. But increasingly, the health of the ocean is intimately tied to our health. One sign of an ocean in distress is an increase in beach or shellfish harvesting closures across the nation. Intensive use of our ocean and runoff from land-based pollution sources are just two...
Throughout the U.S., there are thousands of beach and shellfish closures or advisories each year due to the presence of harmful marine organisms, chemical pollutants, or algal toxins. To address public health threats and benefits from the sea, NOAA scientists and partners are developing and delivering useful tools, technologies, and environmental i...
Whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals eat much of the same seafood that we consume, and we swim in shared coastal waters. Unlike us, however, they are exposed to potential ocean health threats such as toxic algae or poor water quality 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These mammals, and other sentinel species, can shed important light on how ...
Keeping our ocean healthy is about more than protecting human health—it's also about finding new ways to save lives. The diversity of species found in our ocean offers great promise for a treasure chest of pharmaceuticals and natural products to combat illness and improve our quality of life. Many new marine-based drugs have already been discovered...
- The air we breathe: The ocean produces over half of the world's oxygen and absorbs 50 times more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere.
- Climate regulation: Covering 70 percent of the Earth's surface, the ocean transports heat from the equator to the poles, regulating our climate and weather patterns.
- Transportation: Seventy-six percent of all U.S. trade involves some form of marine transportation.
- Recreation: From fishing to boating to kayaking and whale watching, the ocean provides us with many unique activities.
The ocean has long taken the brunt of the impacts of human-made global warming, says UN Climate Change. As the planet’s greatest carbon sink, the ocean absorbs excess heat and energy released ...
Apr 11, 2024 · 4) A Sustainable Ocean-Based Economy Provides Opportunities to Improve Health and Address Inequity. The ocean isn’t just a source of medicine, food and recreation. It’s a major economic driver, with ocean-based industries and activities contributing approximately $2.5 trillion to the global economy each year.
The goods and services from marine environments add up to an additional $2.5 trillion yearly. This means the ocean would have the seventh-largest GDP in the world. However, the value of the ocean relies on its current output, which in turn depends on its conditions. Climate change, ocean acidification, habitat destruction, pollution and ...
People also ask
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Does ocean health affect human health?
Oct 3, 2024 · Here are 5 reasons: 1. The ocean regulates our climate and provides the air we breathe. Our ocean mitigates non-renewable industry pollution by absorbing 25 per cent of all carbon emission, while ...
