Life on earth is fundamentally and inextricably linked to the marine environment. Our oceans and seas regulate global processes such as climate and weather and provide us a vast array of goods and services: food, energy, minerals, medicines, transport and social services for society. The ocean’s “natural capital” is however globally depreciating due to the cumulative effects of human activities and unsustainable management practices. Besides everyday impacts from human use, climate change effects such as sea-level rise, increasing temperatures and ocean acidification all put additional stress on the marine environment.

The Abidjan Convention Sustainable Seas pilot workshop has been organized by the Abidjan Convention Secretariat and GRID-Arendal under the auspices of the Abidjan Convention and UNEP, with contributions from the Institute of Marine Research (Norway), the World Wildlife Fund and ODINAFRICA.

Tags: climate change ecosystem marine environment