A Guide to Oceans, Coasts, and Islands at the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Abstract

Oceans, coasts, and islands are essential to global sustainable development. The oceans, comprising 72% of the earth’s surface, play an essential life-support function without which life on earth would not be possible. 50% of the world’s population lives in coastal areas, and 44 of the world’s nations are small island developing States (SIDS) which are especially dependent on the oceans. Human populations everywhere depend on the oceans for food, energy, transportation, tourism, and other uses. Oceans, coasts, and islands thus do not represent a special or sectoral interest and concern—they are essential to global well-being. Achieving sustainable development in oceans, coasts, and islands thus would go a long way towards achieving global sustainable development.