No Paris Agreement without the Ocean, and Neither without Women

Feb 15, 2024 | Marisa O. Ensor

The ocean is a vital part of the global life support system. Oceans are increasingly recognized as central to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and stabilizing the Earth’s climate. They produce half of the annual oxygen, have absorbed more than 90 percent of the energy produced from global warming, and capture around 30 percent of carbon dioxide every year. A refrain frequently heard among the international environmental security community is that there can be “no Paris without the ocean”. Achieving the 1.5°C limit established by the Paris Agreement will require significant investments in ocean science, innovation, and the development of a sustainable, equitable, and socially responsible ocean economy.  These objectives will not be fulfilled unless all of humanity is involved in addressing climate change. And that means that we need more women and girls to be empowered and meaningfully engaged in both climate action and ocean conservation efforts.

The Blue Side of Climate Action

Oceans cover around 70 percent of the surface of the planet. They generate 50 percent of the oxygen we need, absorb 25 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions, and capture 90 percent of the excess heat generated by these emissions. The ocean is not just “the lungs of the planet” but also its largest “carbon sink” – a vital buffer against the impacts of climate change. Increasing greenhouse gas emissions have, however, affected the health of the ocean – warming and acidifying seawater – causing detrimental changes to life under water and on land, and reducing the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide and safeguard life on the planet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that human influence has been the main driver of the ocean heat increase observed since the 1970s. Marine heatwaves have doubled in frequency, and have become longer-lasting, more intense and extensive. They have now occurred in all ocean basins with severe negative impacts on coastal and ocean ecosystems. The UN Environment Programme noted that every one of the world’s coral reefs could bleach by the end of the century if the water continues to warm. 

On the positive side, coastal waters are a prime location for renewable energy projects and ecosystem protection and restoration. Ocean conservation interventions, such as marine protected areas (MPAs) – places where fishing is restricted or prohibited – can increase the well-being of people living near them and simultaneously benefit fish populations. It is worth noting that MPAs are disproportionately located in the tropics, leaving tropical nations with a higher management burden related to those MPAs, and to their role in mitigating marine biodiversity loss. Understanding how and where ocean conservation benefits occur will be essential for developing future protected areas, to ensure they are both effective and equitable.

The need for a range of innovative solutions to boost ocean health was highlighted in December 2023 at the most recent Conference of the Parties (COP28) with the announcement of new partnerships.  Working toward sustainable ocean management was emphasized as a critical element of the road to net zero, while the Ocean Breakthroughs initiative – 5 pathways to catalyze action to achieve a healthy and productive ocean – highlighted necessary action across maritime sectors from shipping and food to tourism. The Ocean Breakthroughs initiative aimed to inform the Global Stocktake, ensuring that the potential of ocean-based climate solutions is acknowledged and acted upon at COP28 and beyond. Building on a whole-of-society approach – with women recognized as equal partners – this initiative promotes an “all hands on deck” approach to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and safeguard our Blue Planet.

The Women from the “Tropical Majority”

The majority of the world’s ocean-dependent people live in low- to middle-income countries in the tropics. This “tropical majority” encompasses billions of voices living in some of the most biodiverse regions of the world. They often have intricate connections to the ocean, as well as highly contextualized and profound knowledge of ocean ecosystems. Their practical skills and wisdom are thus uniquely valuable for identifying and addressing accelerating threats to marine ecosystems, and for understanding the limiting effects of systemic inequities in governance. They are also highly gendered.

The urgency of leveraging this gendered expertise is underscored by the declining health of our oceans, which threatens the lives, livelihoods, and food security of billions of people around the globe. For island communities and those living around oceans and seas, the risks are even greater. As the World Economic Forum recently noted, the territories we refer to as small island developing states (SIDS) are, in fact, large ocean states. Mauritius, for instance, a biodiversity hotspot where marine species are currently facing climate-related extinction risks, has an ocean area 1,000 times its landmass.

While women's contributions to both climate action and to developing a sustainable ocean economy are recognized as crucial, women and girls in coastal communities often face disproportionate challenges compared to their male counterparts. Women in the fishery sector are largely concentrated in low-skilled, low-paid, seasonal jobs without health, safety, and labor rights protections. Women also earn approximately 64 percent of men’s wages for the same work in aquaculture. They face the risks of ocean degradation with less resources at their disposal to build resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss on their coastal livelihoods.

An Ocean of Opportunity

Many ocean records were broken in 2023. In August, the global average surface temperature of the world’s oceans hit an all-time record high of 20.98°C (or 69.73°F) according to Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space program. Unprecedented heat spread across the Caribbean Basin and the Antarctic peak sea ice dwindled to an all-time low. These increased ocean temperatures have led to a variety of serious problems, from coral bleaching to algal blooms, adding to the increasing urgency with which we must act on climate change.

On the positive side, international cooperation regarding the ocean also ramped up last year. In a monumental win for ocean protection, the European Union and more than 70 countries, including the United States, signed the High Seas Treaty at the last UN General Assembly. The treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement, covers issues of protection, conservation, and equitable profit from the high seas, or areas of the ocean outside of individual countries’ jurisdiction; these typically start about 200 nautical miles, or 230 miles, from the coast. Under the treaty’s goals, 95 percent of the ocean’s volume would be under common governance, and special marine protected areas would be established to limit overfishing, shipping, and deep-sea mining. The treaty, which had been a work in progress for nearly 20 years, requires the ratification of 60 of the signatory nations before enters into force.

As global efforts move from negotiating climate- and ocean-related agreements to implementing countries’ national climate plans, we must empower women to lead the charge for ensuring that those commitments are fulfilled. Ocean-climate action must build resilience for ecosystems and coastal communities dependent upon a healthy ocean. That would include adaptation measures that predict risks, vulnerabilities, and solutions – including early warning systems and sustainable nature-based solutions to help women cope with the changing coastlines and ecosystems. 

Engaging women as key stakeholders in blue climate action and the ocean economy provides meaningful pathways for women’s empowerment, and for restoring planetary health. Now more than ever, we look to the international community as a whole to rally behind women and girls for a just, sustainable, and blue future.

Dr. Marisa O. Ensor is an applied environmental and legal anthropologist currently based at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) where she leads the portfolio on climate security.  She is also the current Chair of the Environmental Peacebuilding Association’s Gender Interest Group (“EnPAx-GIG”).