Marine Biodiversity and Climate Change: Multidimensional Approaches for “The Ocean We Want” by 2030

Climate change is impacting marine biodiversity which is a major factor in combating the effects of this global environmental change. Increase in rate of climate change will accelerate loss of marine biodiversity. Implementing measures for mitigating climate change will also lessen stress on biodiversity. Understanding of this interconnectivity between marine biodiversity and climate change should guide management efforts. Protecting 30% of marine area by 2030 will significantly contribute to conserving and restoring marine natural capital and combating effects of climate change. The projected benefits include safeguarding range of distribution of endangered marine species, ensuring increased marine biodiversity benefits, extra seafood, greater carbon sequestration, and preventing risk of carbon disturbance due to bottom trawling in exclusive economic zones. Bringing 30% of marine area under protection will also create enabling conditions for scientists to establish baselines for measuring efficiency of conservation interventions, especially monitoring effectiveness of application of digital technologies. These observations can generate accurate data for simulation modelling and address knowledge gaps about the ocean, >80% of which remains unexplored. Findings on multiple benefits from marine protected areas and analysis of outcomes from successful case studies support the 30 × 30 Blueprint. Such data will be the basis for a long-term management of marine biodiversity and climate-related impacts. Issues of concern that have been reviewed and highlighted include decrease in marine fish abundance, increased degradation of critical habitats, and reduction of global fish stocks that are within biologically sustainable level. Solutions to these problems require new strategies, priorities, and their effective implementation.