In the South China Sea, Beijing persists in its efforts to intimidate civilian vessels from neighboring countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, employing maritime harassment as a geopolitical tool.
Indeed, our oceans are under significant threat. Beyond geopolitical tensions, climate change continues to inflict immense harm. The shipping industry, a substantial contributor to carbon emissions, has seen its activity grow by 20 percent over the past decade. As nations work to implement ambitious green policies, these efforts are increasingly being hampered by the complexities of global geopolitics.
Paradoxically, the multitude of threats facing our oceans may serve as a rallying point for action. Given their critical importance to modern economies — and life on Earth itself — an exceptionally diverse array of governments, organizations, and citizens has a vested interest in fostering a healthier future for our marine environments.
What we need now is a global coalition dedicated to safeguarding our oceans.
Imagine a partnership that brings together governments as diverse as those of the United States and Indonesia, organizations ranging from Greenpeace to shipping companies, and public figures such as actor Tom Hanks — who embodied the peril of maritime chaos in Captain Phillips — alongside climate activist Greta Thunberg. Together, this coalition could draw attention to the wide-ranging threats to our oceans, whether arising from reckless government policies, clandestine operators, or the worsening climate crisis. They could highlight what is at stake if current practices persist — not only the fragility of marine ecosystems but also severe economic repercussions affecting nations worldwide.
While Greta Thunberg and the Pentagon might have vastly different worldviews, they share common ground when it comes to protecting our oceans. Defending this critical resource could unite an unlikely alliance, while those actively endangering the seas would find themselves isolated: a problematic coalition made up of actors like the Houthis and their primary backer, Iran; countries complicit in shadow fleet trade, despite its risks of oil spills; China, with its persistent maritime aggression in the South China Sea; Russia, which is suspected of sabotaging undersea cables; unscrupulous shipowners who sell decrepit vessels into illicit markets; and those who overfish or engage in illegal fishing practices.
This group of detractors, however, is not insurmountable. Their numbers are relatively small compared to the overwhelming majority of nations, organizations, and individuals likely to rally behind ocean protection. And realistically, who would publicly declare, “I support harming our oceans”?
Of course, forming such a coalition wouldn’t solve everything overnight. Some of the bad actors might continue their destructive activities with impunity. However, a determined ocean-protection alliance could shine a spotlight on harmful practices, call out the entities enabling them, and showcase to the world that the vast majority of humanity still values stability, sustainability, and responsibility on the high seas.
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