Why should we be working to save the ocean?

Written by Isabella Castro

Edited by Aleksandr Kurbatov

Humans are egocentric by nature, we care far more about the things that we can see impact us than those that do not, or don’t seem to. Because of our egocentrism, though, despite the initiatives against the climate crisis, which in fact are already quite limited, most people seem to only focus on the effects we can see and feel, our air quality and our agriculture. There are exceptions, of course, and we do care for things other than ourselves, but I think a fundamental issue in the way we are approaching climate change is found in the disproportion of efforts towards ocean conservation. 

First of all, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, even if it doesn’t seem as obvious, the sea does actually hold a huge importance to humans. Its implications in human life range from aspects as simple as food ingredients and recreational activities to much more. They produce billions of dollars annually, contributing hugely to the economy of coastal countries and providing millions of jobs, while also being the source of ingredients used in different medicines. Additionally to all this, World Wildlife Fund suggests that the organisms in the sea are responsible for producing more than half of the oxygen in the world, and absorbing a large part of all man-made and animal produced carbon dioxide emissions, helping to improve our own air quality and the global warming situation.

Ocean Learning Hub says that oceans are actually our biggest protection against climate change seeing as it absorbs 90% of the excess heat that results from it, but, of course, that means that it suffers more. In fact, oceans are affected in two key ways by climate change: their temperatures rise, and they acidify. This second effect comes from the way the ocean absorbs so much of the excess carbon dioxide which we produce. Since that gas is acidic, it dissolves into the water and lowers the pH, which is an issue due to the specific conditions most organisms need for their metabolisms to best function, or even to survive.

Because of ocean acidification, over 84% of the worlds’ coral reefs have been impacted by coral bleaching, a process where due to environmental stress, corals expel the algae in their tissue which is crucial to their nutrition, and become white ‘skeletons’. While they are able to recover, it can take up to ten years, and during this time the coral is very damaged and cannot perform its usual functions, which matters because they provide habitats for a huge variety of ocean organisms, are some of the organisms which produce oxygen, and can play a huge role in filtering ocean water (NOAA). 

As mentioned above, the oceans have countless benefits for everyone, but even if it didn’t, why should its lack of direct benefit to us make it any less deserving of protection? Oceans and seas cover 70% of the earth’s surface, and contain complex ecosystems with millions of species, all with their own life and many with their own thoughts, feelings, and even societies. In fact, orcas are known to be second in sociability and cultural complexity only to humans. They have food preferences and behaviors that change based on the influence of their social group. They share food, and even have dialects. They’re not any less worthy than humans in terms of who we protect according to Stiffler.

Humans are considered the most advanced species, but a lot of the same innovations that give us that title are the cause of so many environmental issues, so we are forced to question whether our temporary advancements justify the permanent setbacks. In fact, that supposed status only means that it's more so our responsibility to reverse the damage we’ve caused and help the species who had no role in the destruction of their habitats. 

Of course, we have to keep protecting the habitats on land too. Forests are some of the most important ecosystems in fighting the climate crisis too, but it’s also completely essential that we don’t disregard the sea. Just because its impacts on us aren’t immediately obvious, we shouldn’t put ourselves above it in any sense of importance. 

● Australian Marine Conservation Society. ‘What Is Coral Bleaching and What Causes It - Fight for Our Reef’. Australian Marine Conservation Society, Australian Marine Conservation Society, 2024, https://www.marineconservation.org.au/coral-bleaching/. 

● NOAA. ‘The Importance of Coral Reefs - Corals: NOAA’s National Ocean Service Education’. Oceanservice.Noaa.Gov, National Ocean Service, 12 Aug. 2024, ://oceanshttpservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral07_importance.html. 

● ———. ‘Why Should We Care About the Ocean?’. Noaa.Gov, NOAA, 26 Feb. 2021, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/why-care-about-ocean.html. 

● Ocean Learning Hub. ‘Ocean Acidification’. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2019, 

https://www.whoi.edu/ocean-learning-hub/ocean-topics/how-the-ocean-works/ocean-che mistry/ocean-acidification/. 

● Stiffler, Lisa. ‘Understanding Orca Culture’. Smithsonian, Smithsonian.com, Aug. 2011, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/understanding-orca-culture-12494696/. ● WWF. ‘Oceans’. WWF, 24 July 2025, https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/landscapes/oceans.