As global attention turns to High Seas Treaty implementation, this month’s ocean science roundup dives into three new studies that unpack the legal, policy, and enforcement questions shaping the future of marine biodiversity protection beyond national jurisdiction. From gaps in treaty language to evidence of what works on the water, July’s science offers insights that matter for decision-makers gathering at PrepCom 2 this August.
Science Round-up
This month’s science roundup highlights the urgent need to close ocean knowledge gaps, protect overlooked deep-sea ecosystems, and ensure equitable access to biodiversity data. As global attention turns to implementation of the outcomes from the UN Ocean Conference, the June edition showcases new research that underscores how much of the ocean remains unmeasured and under threat, and why better science, inclusivity, and global coordination are vital for long-term ocean health.
As the global ocean community prepares to convene at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, this month’s roundup underscores the importance of science in shaping transboundary protection, equitable ocean governance, and effective fisheries management. These new studies highlight the scale of marine connectivity, the risks of unregulated blue economy expansion, and the urgent need to close regulatory gaps in high-impact fishing practices.
This month’s roundup highlights the urgent need to value natural carbon sinks, address governance gaps in marine-climate interventions, and embrace innovative approaches to ocean literacy. The April edition brings together studies that challenge conventional approaches to marine climate action and education, emphasizing equity, accountability, and transformative change.
This month’s roundup explores the vital role of people, power, and justice in shaping a healthier relationship with the ocean. From new thinking on ocean science diplomacy to record-breaking temperatures and social dynamics in marine research, the March edition brings together ideas that connect ocean knowledge with action.
This issue explores:
- Mining the ocean floor vs mining the Moon: what can we learn from our past experiences?
- A Pause or Moratorium for Deep Seabed Mining in the Area? The Legal Basis, Potential Pathways, and Possible Policy Implications
- Monitoring benthic plumes, sediment redeposition and seafloor imprints caused by deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining
Continue reading Monthly Ocean Science Roundup – February 2025
This issue explores:
- Emergence of a climate oscillation in the Arctic Ocean due to global warming
- Record-low Antarctic sea ice in 2023 increased ocean heat loss and storms
- A horizon scan of biological conservation issues for 2025
- Tracking bottom-fishing activities in protected vulnerable marine ecosystem areas and below 800-m depth in European Union waters
Continue reading Monthly Ocean Science Roundup – January 2025
This issue explores:
- Migrating is not enough for modern planktonic foraminifera in a changing ocean
- Half of Atlantic reef-building corals at elevated risk of extinction due to climate change and other threats
- Ocean literacy research community: co-identifying gaps and priorities to advance the UN Ocean Decade
Continue reading Monthly Ocean Science Roundup – November 2024
This issue explores:
- Selective breeding enhances coral heat tolerance to marine heatwaves
- Animal life in the shallow subseafloor crust at deep-sea hydrothermal vents
- Cumulative human impacts on global marine fauna highlight risk to biological and functional diversity
Continue reading Monthly Ocean Science Roundup – October 2024
This issue explores:
- Rethinking sustainability of marine fisheries for a fast-changing planet
- Assessments of expected MPA outcomes can inform and improve biodiversity conservation: Case studies using The MPA Guide
- Over 80% of the European Union’s marine protected area only marginally regulates human activities
Continue reading Monthly Ocean Science Roundup – September 2024