As a response to the climate emergency and social crises, the United Nations established a set of Sustainable Development Goals, to be achieved by 2030. These are organised in 17 concrete objectives to tackle global issues in order to reach a sustainable and peaceful future for everyone, everywhere. For family offices exploring ways to make a meaningful impact, investing in ocean conservation presents an interesting opportunity to achieve the 14th SDG.
Oceans cover three-quarters of the Earth’s surface and contain 97% of the earth’s water. They are essential providers of natural resources including food, medicines and biofuels. They also play a key role in regulating the climate, and rainwater, and providing oxygen. Achieving a sustainable future will inevitably come through careful management of this essential global resource. At the moment, there are 3 main issues with life below water: pollution, global warming, and overfishing.
There are many types of pollution including plastic, hydrocarbons, and organic compounds, which all damage marine ecosystems. Plastic pollution is a major issue for ocean preservation, as plastics take hundreds of years to decompose and the entanglement or ingestion of debris can kill organisms or make it impossible for them to reproduce. Sewage and industrial or agricultural run-off of chemicals also endanger marine life. Noise pollution from boats can trouble marine wildlife’s migration patterns and damage their internal organs.
