Abstract

The Anthropocene, the newest Geological Epoch, is one in which human activity has been the dominant force for environmental change on Earth. The effects of human activity are visible everywhere: in cities, farmlands, national parks, forests and oceans. The oceans cover 71% of the Earth’s surface and regulate our climate as well as providing us with basics such as food, materials, energy, transportation and recreational opportunities (Visbeck, 2018). More than 40% of the global population lives in areas within 200 km of the ocean and 12 out of 15 mega cities are coastal. Climate change, non-sustainable resource extraction, land-based pollution, and habitat degradation are threatening the productivity and health of the ocean (Visbeck 2018). Human influence on Climate Change has been clearly demonstrated – recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) are the highest in history and the warming of the Climate System is unequiv-ocal (IPCC 2014). Ongoing Climate Change has had the following global impacts: i) The atmosphere has warmed, ii) The ocean has warmed and sea level has risen, iii) The ocean has become more acidic, and iv) The amounts of snow and ice have diminished. The impact of climate change has already had widespread impacts

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