Our Oceans under Threat – but There is Hope

It is sad to hear that our oceans are under threat, far more than has been understood before according to a new report by the International Programme on the State of the Ocean. The causes are over-fishing, fertiliser run-off, pollution and climate change, and these largely man-made problems provide conditions for the mass extinction of many of our sea species: it is concerning to know that “the ocean is bearing the brunt of human-induced changes to our planet”, and that “the public and policymakers are failing to recognise - or choosing to ignore - the severity of the situation.” Coming so soon after the recent UN climate report on the impact of global warming, this IPSO paper adds to the alarm of environmentalists about what we are doing to Earth and her non-human inhabitants, and it is a sign of the times that already it has been relegated to the status of a lesser news story. I feel, sometimes, as if I am seeing a large group of people who are busy checking their phones, watching the stock markets and spending their money while a terrible, preventable, accident is happening in front of them. When they look up and take notice, the damage will be done, and it will be irreparable. [caption id="attachment_2115" align="alignright" width="150"] Penmon Beach, Anglesey[/caption] When I hear of reports such as this by IPSO, my reaction momentarily is one of sadness mixed with a little anger that still we will not see, nor act to help the planet, but my emotions fade when I remind myself of Gaia’s strength. She will survive, whatever we do to her in our ignorance, and she will recover from her scars: species may leave her but others will replace them and their habitats will thrive; the human species, however, may find itself in difficulty due to planetary changes just as, for so long, we have caused pain to the planet. It is how karma works. Karma can be comforting, when our oceans are under threat, and under threat from us.   [byline]  ]]>