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An index to assess the health and benefits of the global ocean

Author

Listed:
  • Benjamin S. Halpern

    (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 735 State St Suite 300
    Center for Marine Assessment and Planning, University of California)

  • Catherine Longo

    (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 735 State St Suite 300)

  • Darren Hardy

    (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 735 State St Suite 300)

  • Karen L. McLeod

    (COMPASS, Oregon State University)

  • Jameal F. Samhouri

    (Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA)

  • Steven K. Katona

    (Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive)

  • Kristin Kleisner

    (Sea Around Us Project, Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Colombia V6T 1Z4, Canada)

  • Sarah E. Lester

    (Marine Science Institute, University of California
    Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California)

  • Jennifer O’Leary

    (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 735 State St Suite 300)

  • Marla Ranelletti

    (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 735 State St Suite 300)

  • Andrew A. Rosenberg

    (Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive)

  • Courtney Scarborough

    (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 735 State St Suite 300)

  • Elizabeth R. Selig

    (Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive)

  • Benjamin D. Best

    (Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University)

  • Daniel R. Brumbaugh

    (Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History)

  • F. Stuart Chapin

    (Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska)

  • Larry B. Crowder

    (Center for Ocean Solutions and Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University)

  • Kendra L. Daly

    (College of Marine Science, University of South Florida)

  • Scott C. Doney

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • Cristiane Elfes

    (Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara
    IUCN Global Species Programme/Conservation International, Biodiversity Assessment Unit, 2011 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22202, USA)

  • Michael J. Fogarty

    (Northeast Fisheries Science Center)

  • Steven D. Gaines

    (Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California)

  • Kelsey I. Jacobsen

    (Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California)

  • Leah Bunce Karrer

    (Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive)

  • Heather M. Leslie

    (Box 1943, Brown University)

  • Elizabeth Neeley

    (COMPASS, University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences)

  • Daniel Pauly

    (Sea Around Us Project, Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Colombia V6T 1Z4, Canada)

  • Stephen Polasky

    (University of Minnesota, 1994 Buford Avenue, St Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA)

  • Bud Ris

    (New England Aquarium, Central Wharf)

  • Kevin St Martin

    (Rutgers University, 54 Joyce Kilmer Drive, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA)

  • Gregory S. Stone

    (Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive)

  • U. Rashid Sumaila

    (Sea Around Us Project, Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Colombia V6T 1Z4, Canada)

  • Dirk Zeller

    (Sea Around Us Project, Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Colombia V6T 1Z4, Canada)

Abstract

The ocean plays a critical role in supporting human well-being, from providing food, livelihoods and recreational opportunities to regulating the global climate. Sustainable management aimed at maintaining the flow of a broad range of benefits from the ocean requires a comprehensive and quantitative method to measure and monitor the health of coupled human–ocean systems. We created an index comprising ten diverse public goals for a healthy coupled human–ocean system and calculated the index for every coastal country. Globally, the overall index score was 60 out of 100 (range 36–86), with developed countries generally performing better than developing countries, but with notable exceptions. Only 5% of countries scored higher than 70, whereas 32% scored lower than 50. The index provides a powerful tool to raise public awareness, direct resource management, improve policy and prioritize scientific research.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin S. Halpern & Catherine Longo & Darren Hardy & Karen L. McLeod & Jameal F. Samhouri & Steven K. Katona & Kristin Kleisner & Sarah E. Lester & Jennifer O’Leary & Marla Ranelletti & Andrew A. Ro, 2012. "An index to assess the health and benefits of the global ocean," Nature, Nature, vol. 488(7413), pages 615-620, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:488:y:2012:i:7413:d:10.1038_nature11397
    DOI: 10.1038/nature11397
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    Cited by:

    1. Emmerling, Johannes & Kornek, Ulrike & Zuber, Stéphane, 2024. "Multidimensional welfare indices and the IPCC 6th Assessment Report scenarios," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    2. Sugiawan, Yogi & Islam, Moinul & Managi, Shunsuke, 2017. "Global marine fisheries with economic growth," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 158-168.
    3. Hang Shu & Chunwang Xiao & Ting Ma & Weiguo Sang, 2021. "Ecological Health Assessment of Chinese National Parks Based on Landscape Pattern: A Case Study in Shennongjia National Park," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-15, October.
    4. Waheed, Rida & Sarwar, Suleman & Alsaggaf, Majid Ibrahim, 2023. "Relevance of energy, green and blue factors to achieve sustainable economic growth: Empirical study of Saudi Arabia," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    5. Claire A. Simeone & Estelle Rousselet & Cathrine Atkin & Mélodie De Trez & Margot Delemotte & Shawn P. Johnson, 2024. "A Systematic Review of Global Marine Mammal Rehabilitation and Refloating, 2000–2023," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-19, May.
    6. Qi Chen & Hongyan Su & Xuan Yu & Qiuguang Hu, 2020. "Livelihood Vulnerability of Marine Fishermen to Multi-Stresses under the Vessel Buyback and Fishermen Transfer Programs in China: The Case of Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Nam-Il Won & Ki-Hwan Kim & Ji Hyoun Kang & Sang Rul Park & Hyuk Je Lee, 2017. "Exploring the Impacts of Anthropogenic Disturbance on Seawater and Sediment Microbial Communities in Korean Coastal Waters Using Metagenomics Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-17, January.
    8. Ding, Helen & Nunes, Paulo A.L.D., 2014. "Modeling the links between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human wellbeing in the context of climate change: Results from an econometric analysis of the European forest ecosystems," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 60-73.
    9. Tokunaga, Kanae & Sugino, Hiroaki & Nomura, Hideaki & Michida, Yutaka, 2020. "Norms and the willingness to pay for coastal ecosystem restoration: A case of the Tokyo Bay intertidal flats," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    10. Xiaoxiang Liu & Xiongzhi Xue, 2024. "Construction and Application of a Coastline Ecological Index: A Case Study of Fujian Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-20, June.
    11. Hiroaki Sugino & Tatsuya Sekiguchi & Yuuki Terada & Naoki Hayashi, 2023. "“Future Compass”, a Tool That Allows Us to See the Right Horizon—Integration of Topic Modeling and Multiple-Factor Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    12. Stebbings, Emily & Hooper, Tara & Austen, Melanie C. & Papathanasopoulou, Eleni & Yan, Xiaoyu, 2021. "Accounting for benefits from natural capital: Applying a novel composite indicator framework to the marine environment," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    13. Cuicui Feng & Guanqiong Ye & Jiangning Zeng & Jian Zeng & Qutu Jiang & Liuyue He & Yaowen Zhang & Zhenci Xu, 2023. "Sustainably developing global blue carbon for climate change mitigation and economic benefits through international cooperation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

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