Global Environment Outlook 6 - Chapter 7

This document assesses oceans and coasts under GEO-6, synthesizing evidence on rising human pressures and cumulative impacts. It spotlights three challenges: chronic coral-reef bleaching now recurring about every six years and outpacing recovery; escalating marine litter, with about 8 Mt of plastics entering seas annually and 100–250 Mt projected by 2025; and uneven progress toward sustainable fisheries as aquaculture expands. Fisheries and aquaculture support 58–120 million livelihoods and supply 20% of dietary protein for 3.1 billion people. The chapter also flags governance needs, ecosystem-based management, and emerging risks including mercury, coastal sand mining, deep-sea mining, and anthropogenic ocean noise. Full report is available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/27539