The potential of the ocean to solve many of the global crises we face remains untapped. A series of international meetings happening this year could shape its future and that of our planet, demanding our collective attention.

After a two-year delay, the urgency of harnessing the ocean’s potential to tackle some of our biggest global challenges has grown exponentially. Not only has progress on ocean issues fallen short of what’s needed, but the world is still reeling from a lingering global pandemic and grappling with the realities of a new war in Europe and its cascading effects on global energy and food systems. The impacts of climate change have never been more clear, from intense storms and droughts to rising seas and a warming, acidifying ocean that makes food production even more challenging. People everywhere are experiencing the devastating consequences of a changing climate, none more so than the most vulnerable communities that often have the fewest resources available to adapt. With what seems like an ever-growing list of global crises, this may not seem like the moment to focus scarce political will and resources on the ocean.

This year, more than any other, the world should watch the decisions being made about the ocean and its fate: 2022 could mark a turning point, unlocking the ocean’s ability to provide the solutions we need to address our interrelated climate, food, and energy challenges. The decisions made on the ocean this year will help determine our collective future as well as shape the world we leave behind for future generations.

Already this year, the One Ocean Summit in France and the Our Ocean Conference in Palau have highlighted the ocean’s critical role in addressing climate change, food security, poverty, and many other SDGs. They set the stage for ambitious new action on a range of fronts, from speeding up shipping decarbonization and offshore renewable energy to building community resilience.

The array of international organizations involved in ocean issues can be overwhelming, and the urgency of issues can get lost in acronyms and processes. But now more than ever we have the opportunity — and the imperative — to think about the ocean as a connector and a provider, rather than a problem to be solved or a resource to be mined. We can’t afford to let decisions on its future go unnoticed. For the sake of current and future generations, we need to keep eyes on the ocean this year to ensure sure we are not squandering its vast potential to help us solve the crises of today and tomorrow.

Read the full article about ocean solutions by Susan Ruffo at United Nations Foundation.