Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface, and hold around 97% of all water found on the planet. They are home to over 78% of all animals and 89% of all bacteria known to science. Other than harbouring life, the oceans play several important roles that often go unnoticed. We are all connected by these oceans and here are some of the ways the oceans impact our lives, directly and indirectly.
Illustrated by Gayatri Jawali
Oceans, beaches, and specific habitats like coral reefs are vibrant and fascinating, and reel in domestic and international tourists in large numbers, generating several lakh rupees of revenue. Water sports activities, SCUBA diving, snorkelling, eco-awareness activities like mangrove and intertidal walks are some of the popular attractions for a wide range of people. The coastal and marine tourism sector in several coastal areas of India is a lifeline for the local economies, being the sole revenue earner in these small and sometimes remote regions, and generates crucial livelihood opportunities for the locals. However, as with tourism in other regions, there are negative impacts on the marine environment too.
Illustrated by Gayatri Jawali
Oceans are considered as living, breathing entities by many coastal communities across the world. Centuries of dependence on the oceans for survival, subsistence, commerce, and recreation have led people to form deep associations with the water, coastlines and to an extent, the marine life. The oceans are revered as providers, admired for the beauty of life they hold, respected as an indomitable force of nature, and feared in equal parts for the destruction they can bring. These very emotions have resulted in stories, songs, art, and poetry. In India, these take the form of folk tales where mythological marine animals like massive sea serpents, gigantic turtles, and unique fish feature prominently.
Illustrated by Gayatri Jawali
Science has only recently started exploring the potential of marine organisms in the field of medicine. Organisms like sponges, tunicates, macroalgae, and molluscs produce diverse and unique compounds for their survival, defence and functioning. These compounds were discovered to also have medicinal properties, notably potential anti-cancer properties. Extensive research on these bioactive compounds has inspired the production of synthetic compounds modelled on the natural ones marine organisms produce. In addition to these organisms, compounds found in or produced by marine fungi and bacteria are also being studied for their potential anti-cancer, antibiotic, anti-malarial, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties, with some of the compounds in the process of being developed into drugs now.
Illustrated by Gayatri Jawali
The world's oceans form the single largest connecting link between different parts of the world, facilitating trade, transport, strategic wartime planning, and economic growth for centuries. Sea routes have been an important mode of transport for goods, food, defence, and transfer of culture, knowledge and even species. This is one of the most important modes of long-distance transport, and around 85% of global trade is carried out via ships. Oceans serve to connect various economies, generalte livelihoods and opportunities, supporting millions of people globally who live close to the coastline. It is estimated that around 70% of India's trade is via sea routes, accounting for a major portion of the GDP.
Illustrated by Gayatri Jawali
The oceans are the world's largest heat and carbon sinks, and absorb around 30% of all carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere. It is not only the water that is important here, but also each marine habitat and the lifeforms that absorb and store carbon in different ways. Carbon sequestration is the process by which lifeforms on Earth absorb and store carbon. All carbon sequestered by the ocean and its ecosystems is called blue carbon. Seagrass meadows and mangroves cover less area than the world's forests but sequester much more carbon at a faster rate, and do so for millions of years. They both absorb more carbon per unit area than a tropical rainforest and store it in the ground. It is estimated that mangroves sequester five times the carbon tropical rainforests store. The oceans collectively, are believed to sequester 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere, and 20 times more than all terrestrial ecosystems put together.
Illustrated by Gayatri Jawali
Oceans, including near shore and deeper waters, are the source of nearly 90% of the world's capture fishery stock. India is one of the largest producers of fish in the world. This fast-growing industry provides employment and income to around 1.5 crore people directly, and even more indirectly. A population of nearly 17 crore people settled in coastal districts along India's extensive coastline of 7,500 km is directly or indirectly dependent on the oceans for subsistence.
Illustrated by Gayatri Jawali
The impacts of climate change are varied and wide-ranging, affecting life on Earth in many ways. All oceans together constitute the biggest heat sink on the planet, absorbing and storing over 90% of the heat generated on Earth naturally and through human activities. By comparison, the land and atmosphere each store less than 2.5% of the globally generated heat! The oceans are also Earth's largest carbon sink. The constant exchange of moisture, heat, and gases between the ocean and atmosphere, along with the currents are responsible for the world's climate.