The 1,600-page assessment is the result of more than five years of work by 550 experts from 86 countries, offering a detailed overview of the mounting pressures on the ocean and the action needed to safeguard it. The report provides a foundation for “understanding the profound changes that are underway, from climate-driven shifts to biodiversity loss, and for shaping effective action both at the local level, but also at the global level”. Despite decades of progress, vast areas of the ocean, particularly the deep sea, remain poorly understood.

Bahia Tahzib-Lie, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations, said that the assessment “offers a powerful roadmap for action through global collaboration and multilateralism.” As a co-chair of the assessment, she highlighted that the landmark report could be the most comprehensive and insightful assessment of the ocean to date.