OCEAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS
This illustrated booklet is based on the report by Astrid Puentes Riaño, Special Rapporteur on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (A/HRC/58/59).
Content reviewed by the Laboratory for Environmental and Climate Justice (LabJAC) and produced by the Biosphère | Espace pour la vie.
Created by Alexandra Dion-Fortin
© Ville de Montréal, 2026 / All rights reserved
Legal deposit – January 2026
ISBN 978-2-924977-11-8
HI! MY NAME IS ASTRID PUENTES RIAÑO. I’M A LAWYER SPECIALIZING IN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, INCLUDING OCEAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS I’VE BEEN INTERESTED IN THE INTERCONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
ASTRID WORKS AS AN INDEPENDENT EXPERT WITH THE UNITED NATIONS (UN). THE UN IS THE MAIN INTERNATIONAL FORUM IN WHICH COUNTRIES CAN RAISE ISSUES, DISCUSS PROBLEMS AND FIND COMMON SOLUTIONS. SINCE OCTOBER 2021, THE UN HAS RECOGNIZED THAT EVERYONE ON THE PLANET HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN A CLEAN, HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT.
WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOW IT AFFECTS OUR PLANET AND EVERYONE LIVING ON IT. BUT IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW MUCH THE THREATS FACING THE OCEAN ALSO AFFECT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD—AND IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
I’D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE CLOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HEALTH OF THE OCEAN AND THE HEALTH OF HUMAN BEINGS. IN FACT, HUMAN RIGHTS ARE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE HEALTH OF THE ECOSYSTEMS.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK...
NEARLY ONE THIRD OF ALL PEOPLE ON EARTH LIVE LESS THAN 100 KILOMETRES FROM THE OCEAN! THEIR WAYS OF LIFE AND CULTURE ARE DEEPLY CONNECTED TO IT.
SAVE ONE FOR ME, OKAY?
FOR GENERATIONS, PEOPLE LIVING ALONG THE COAST HAVE RELIED ON THE OCEAN’S UNIQUE RESOURCES IN EVERY REGION OF THE WORLD TO SUSTAIN THEIR WAY OF LIFE.
DID YOU KNOW THAT NEARLY HALF OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO FISH IN THE WORLD ARE WOMEN? THEY POSSESS A WEALTH OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT NEED TO BE PRESERVED, VALUED AND PROTECTED. THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE AS GUARDIANS OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT.
THE LIVES OF BILLIONS OF PEOPLE DEPEND DIRECTLY ON THE OCEAN AND COASTAL AREAS—FOR FOOD, HOUSING, WORK, CULTURE, SPIRITUALITY, MEDICINE, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION AND BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. IT’S THEREFORE UP TO STATES AND BUSINESSES TO PROTECT THESE VITAL ECOSYSTEMS AND ENSURE THEIR SUSTAINABILITY.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AROUND THE WORLD HELP PROTECT NATURE THROUGH THEIR TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE. THEY AREN’T ALWAYS RECOGNIZED FOR IT, BUT THERE ARE SOME INSPIRING EXAMPLES OF THEIR SUCCESSES. IN AUSTRALIA, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HAVE HAD THEIR INHERENT RIGHTS AND INTERESTS IN THE GREAT BARRIER REEF RECOGNIZED. TODAY, THEY LEAD THE LARGEST JOINT EFFORT IN CONSERVING THE REEF IN THE COUNTRY’S HISTORY.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS BECAUSE THEIR TRADITIONAL WAYS OF LIFE OFTEN SHOW THE DEEP CONNECTIONS AMONG LIVING CREATURES, NONLIVING ELEMENTS AND THE HUMAN RACE. THE SURVIVAL OF ONE DEPENDS ON THE EXISTENCE OF THE OTHERS—A BALANCE WE MUST TAKE GREAT CARE TO PROTECT.
OF COURSE, HUMAN BEINGS AREN’T THE ONLY ONES WHO DEPEND ON THE OCEAN. THIS VAST, INTERCONNECTED BIOME IS HOME TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SPECIES, INCLUDING BIRDS, FISH, MARINE MAMMALS, OTHER AQUATIC CREATURES, ALGAE AND UNDERWATER FORESTS. THESE ECOSYSTEMS ARE BOTH INCREDIBLY FRAGILE AND TEEMING WITH LIFE.
SCIENTISTS ESTIMATE THAT 50 TO 80% OF THE OXYGEN WE BREATHE COMES FROM THE OCEAN. HOW? FROM AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF MICROSCOPIC PLANTS CALLED PHYTOPLANKTON THAT FLOAT NEAR THE SURFACE AND ABSORB CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2). THESE PHYTOPLANKTON FORM THE BASE OF OCEAN FOOD WEBS.
LIFE ON EARTH FIRST DEVELOPED IN THE OCEAN ABOUT 3.5 BILLION YEARS AGO. THE OCEAN IS THE PLANET’S LARGEST BIOME, COVERING 70% OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE. NO WONDER WE CALL IT THE BLUE PLANET!
THE BALANCE OF LIFE ON EARTH DEPENDS ON THE OCEAN. IT PROVIDES FOOD, REGULATES TEMPERATURES AND CURRENTS, ABSORBS HEAT AND CARBON FROM THE ATMOSPHERE, PRODUCES OXYGEN—EVEN IN THE DEEP SEA—AND IS HOME TO MILLIONS OF SPECIES.
WOW, I’VE ALWAYS DREAMT OF BEING A BIRD!
CORALS ARE INCREASINGLY USED TO DEVELOP MEDICINES, MAKING THEM ESSENTIAL TO THE RIGHT TO HEALTH. THEY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES LIKE TOURISM AND RECREATION.
CORAL REEFS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND COLOURFUL, SOMETIMES SHAPED LIKE CAULIFLOWERS, ORGAN PIPES OR FANS. THEY GROW IN SHALLOW TROPICAL WATERS, WHERE COUNTLESS ANIMAL AND PLANT SPECIES LIVE. REEFS ALSO FORM A NATURAL BARRIER THAT PROTECTS COASTLINES FROM EROSION AND STORM-RELATED FLOODING.
IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, 25% OF THE FISH CAUGHT COME FROM CORAL REEFS. REEFS ARE VITAL FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON THEM FOR THEIR LIVELIHOODS. PROTECTING AND RESTORING CORAL REEFS DAMAGED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND MARINE POLLUTION IS CRUCIAL.
CORAL REEFS ALSO SERVE AS NURSERIES WHERE MANY MARINE SPECIES CAN GROW AND DEVELOP SAFELY.
MANGROVES ALSO FORM PART OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. THESE TROPICAL FORESTS GROW IN SALTY WATER, WITH ROOTS THAT RISE ABOVE THE SURFACE. THEY’RE FOUND ALONG THE COASTS OF 123 COUNTRIES, WHERE LAND AND SEA MEET. THIS ECOSYSTEM ATTRACTS MANY ANIMAL SPECIES THAT HIDE, REPRODUCE AND FEED THERE.
MANGROVES ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE LIVELIHOODS OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THEY ALSO PROTECT COASTLINES FROM CURRENTS AND TROPICAL STORMS.
SEAGRASS BEDS (LIKE VAST UNDERWATER PRAIRIES) GROW IN CALM, SHALLOW WATERS. LIKE MANGROVES, THEY’RE HOME TO RICH BIODIVERSITY AND FORM FRAGILE HABITATS THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO POLLUTION FROM BOTH LAND AND SEA.
THE OCEAN IS DYNAMIC AND CONSTANTLY INTERACTS WITH THE ATMOSPHERE. IT STORES ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF HEAT PRODUCED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY (MORE THAN 90%), WHICH IS THEN REDISTRIBUTED BY OCEAN CURRENTS.
PHYTOPLANKTON VISIBLE FROM SPACE.
THE OCEAN REGULATES THE EARTH’S CLIMATE. SO FAR, IT HAS ABSORBED ABOUT ONE THIRD OF OUR CARBON EMISSIONS THROUGH PHYTOPLANKTON, WHICH CAPTURES CO2.
WHEN COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS SUCH AS SEAGRASS BEDS AND MANGROVES ARE PROTECTED AND RESTORED, THEY HELP REDUCE THE IMPACT OF DISASTERS. THEIR ROOTS AND LEAVES FILTER WATER AND AIR WHILE ABSORBING ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF CARBON DIOXIDE.
MARINE DECOMPOSERS—OFTEN MICROSCOPIC—LIVE FROM THE SURFACE DOWN TO THE DEEP SEA. THEY FEED ON DEAD ANIMALS AND TRANSFORM THEM INTO NUTRIENTS ESSENTIAL FOR PLANT LIFE.
CARBON AND MINERALS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE GROWTH AND FUNCTIONING OF PLANTS AND ALGAE. THESE ORGANISMS, SOMETIMES MADE UP OF CLOSE TO 90% WATER, GROW MAINLY THROUGH PHOTOSYNTHESIS,—A PROCESS THAT RELEASES OXYGEN INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THE CARBON CYCLE IS LIKE AN ENORMOUS LOOP THAT’S ESSENTIAL TO LIFE ON OUR PLANET!
UNDERWATER FORESTS ARE FOUND ALL AROUND THE WORLD AND PROVIDE HABITATS FOR MANY DIFFERENT SPECIES.
SOME SPECIES OF ALGAE GROW ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SURFACE TO CATCH THE SUNLIGHT.
HABITATS LOCATED IN THE DEEP SEA, MORE THAN 1,000 METRES BELOW THE SURFACE, ARE COMPLETELY DARK, UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE AND HAVE VERY LITTLE FOOD AVAILABLE. IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, “DARK OXYGEN” IS PRODUCED—BUT NOT THROUGH PHOTOSYNTHESIS. THERE ARE NO PLANTS, SINCE SUNLIGHT CAN’T REACH THAT FAR, YET SURPRISINGLY MANY ANIMAL SPECIES STILL THRIVE THERE.
ANYBODY HERE? YES, ME!
ALL THESE SPECIES PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE CARBON CYCLE. THEY BREAK DOWN DEAD ORGANISMS THAT HAVE SUNK, RELEASING NUTRIENTS BACK INTO THE ECOSYSTEM. IN ADDITION, CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE THAT’S ABSORBED BY PHYTOPLANKTON AND NOT CONSUMED SINKS TO THE SEAFLOOR. THERE IT FORMS A HUGE LAYER OF CARBON THAT STAYS TRAPPED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. THIS IS THE LARGEST CARBON SINK ON EARTH.
SOME DEEP-SEA AREAS ARE COVERED WITH MINERALS IN THE FORM OF NODULES. THESE SOUGHTAFTER MINERALS ARE USED IN PRODUCTS LIKE BATTERIES, SOLAR PANELS AND SMARTPHONES.
HOWEVER, MINING THEM POSES SERIOUS RISKS TO DEEP-SEA ENVIRONMENTS, AS WELL AS TO THE SPECIES THAT LIVE THERE, TO COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND EVEN TO PEOPLE EVERYWHERE ON THE PLANET.
NODULES : MINING THESE MINERALS FROM THE DEEP SEA SHOULDN’T BE DONE, SINCE WE CAN’T BE SURE IT WON’T HARM FRAGILE ECOSYSTEMS.
MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS, AND WE MUST ACT WITH CAUTION TO AVOID CAUSING FURTHER HARM TO THE OCEAN.
WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT THE OCEAN AND ITS INHABITANTS. TO MAKE SURE THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN ALSO EXPERIENCE HEALTHY MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, IT’S VITAL THAT WE PROTECT THEM.
IN A SENSE, IT CONNECTS EVERYONE ON THE PLANET UNDER ONE ROOF. THAT’S WHY STATES, BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS ALL NEED TO WORK TO PROTECT IT.
ACTUALLY, YOU COULD SAY THE OCEAN IS LIKE A BIG HOUSE.
THE OCEAN CONNECTS LAND, AIR AND COASTAL AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS. THE PLANET’S ECOSYSTEMS ARE ALL LINKED AND DEPEND ON ONE ANOTHER. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE DIFFERENT OCEAN BASINS, THEY ALL COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER—THAT’S WHY WE TALK ABOUT THE OCEAN IN THE SINGULAR.
ALL THE MORE REASON TO TAKE CARE OF IT!
RIGHT NOW, WE’RE FACING THREE MAJOR GLOBAL CRISES THAT PUT ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON THE OCEAN: CLIMATE CHANGE, POLLUTION AND THE LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY.
THE OCEAN’S DELICATE BALANCE IS BEING PUT TO THE TEST, THREATENING THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON IT. A PRINCIPLE KNOWN AS THE “PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE“ SAYS THAT COUNTRIES MUST NOT TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS UNLESS THERE IS STRONG SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SHOWING THEY WILL NOT CAUSE HARM.
WHETHER IT’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, WOMEN, FISHERS, CHILDREN, PEOPLE WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS, OR THOSE WHO ARE ELDERLY, DISABLED OR MARGINALIZED—EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AND A HEALTHY OCEAN.
THERE ARE SO MANY OF US THAT WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THE OCEAN!
EXTRACTING FOSSIL FUELS, UNPLANNED URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND MASS TOURISM ARE AMONG THE MAIN CAUSES OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEM DEGRADATION.
FRAGILE ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS CORAL REEFS, MANGROVES AND SEAGRASS BEDS—FOUND NEAR COASTS AND IN SHALLOW WATERS—ARE OFTEN DAMAGED OR POLLUTED BY TOURIST ACTIVITIES.
INDUSTRIAL FISHING AND UNPLANNED URBAN DEVELOPMENT OFTEN COME AT THE EXPENSE OF PROTECTING MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. SINCE THEY ARE ALL INTERDEPENDENT, WE NEED TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN USING COASTAL AREAS AND PROTECTING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT.
FOR A LONG TIME, THE OCEAN WAS SEEN AS A GIANT GARBAGE DUMP THAT COULD MAKE ALL OUR WASTE DISAPPEAR. SCIENTISTS ESTIMATE THAT AROUND 8 MILLION TONNES OF PLASTIC END UP IN THE OCEAN EVERY YEAR—AND THAT AMOUNT IS EXPECTED TO RISE IN THE COMING DECADES.
SOME FISHING METHODS SCRAPE ALONG THE SEAFLOOR AND DESTROY IT. BETTER REGULATIONS WOULD HELP PROTECT THESE HABITATS WHILE STILL SUPPORTING LOCAL FISHING ACTIVITIES.
POLLUTION FROM WASTE, MICROPLASTICS AND TOXIC SPILLS HAS SERIOUS EFFECTS ON ECOSYSTEMS AND THE ENTIRE FOOD CHAIN. THERE’S A DIRECT IMPACT ON ANIMAL AND PLANT LIFE, WHICH ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
MOST MARINE POLLUTION COMES FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES, MAINLY BECAUSE RIVERS CARRY WASTE AND POLLUTANTS TO THE SEA. THESE DISCHARGES DAMAGE MARINE HABITATS AND SPECIES, POLLUTE DRINKING WATER AND THREATEN THE FOOD SECURITY OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
WE’RE LIVING IN THE ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE, CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY. THESE CHANGES HAVE IRREVERSIBLE EFFECTS ON THE OCEAN AND ITS INHABITANTS.
AS OCEAN WATERS WARM, THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN AVAILABLE TO MARINE LIFE DECREASES.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS RAPIDLY WARMING THE OCEAN, WHICH ABSORBS MOST OF THE PLANET’S HEAT.
THE ACIDIFICATION OF WATER —CAUSED BY THE MASSIVE ABSORPTION OF CO2 FROM HUMAN ACTIVITY— AFFECTS THE SHELLS AND SKELETONS OF MANY MARINE SPECIES BECAUSE IT DISRUPTS THE OCEAN’S CHEMISTRY.
IN THE ARCTIC, FOR EXAMPLE, TEMPERATURES ARE RISING TWO TO FOUR TIMES FASTER THAN THE GLOBAL AVERAGE, CAUSING THE MELTING OF PERMAFROST, LAND GLACIERS AND ICE CAPS. THE CHANGE IS HAPPENING SO QUICKLY THAT MANY SPECIES THAT DEPEND ON THE ICE ARE NOW AT RISK.
INUIT PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL ALONG THE COAST NOW FACE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS CAUSED BY REPEATED FREEZING AND THAWING AND BY THINNER ICE, MAKING IT LESS SAFE TO REACH LOCAL RESOURCES.
THE EVENTUAL RISE IN SEA LEVELS WILL MAKE IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO USE COASTAL AREAS, AS IT CAUSES EROSION AND DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE OF COASTAL MARINE ECOSYSTEMS.
BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, MORE AND MORE STORMS AND OTHER WEATHER EVENTS WILL WEAKEN COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS AND THREATEN LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
THESE CHANGES, ALONG WITH THE RELEASE OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, ARE MAINLY CAUSED BY THE DEPENDENCE OF HUMANS ON OIL, COAL AND GAS.
GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE NEED TO ACT URGENTLY TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR REDUCING OUR MASSIVE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION, WHICH ARE ULTIMATELY ENDANGERING LIFE ON OUR BEAUTIFUL PLANET.
ALL SORTS OF IMPACTS ARE BEING FELT BY HUMAN POPULATIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE ARE FELT MORE STRONGLY BY WOMEN, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. OVERALL, THESE ARE THE GROUPS THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE CHALLENGES AFFECTING THE OCEAN, ITS RESOURCES AND ITS ECOSYSTEMS.
FORTUNATELY, MANY PLACES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE SHOWN THAT THINGS CAN BE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE MAPUCHE LAFKENCHE, AN INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF CHILE, HAVE SUCCEEDED IN PROTECTING THEIR RIGHTS BY HELPING TO PASS A LAW REGARDING COASTAL MARINE AREAS.
PROTECTING THE OCEAN, THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS ISN’T ALWAYS A PRIORITY WHEN ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS ARE AT STAKE. AND THE PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY THESE ISSUES ARE RARELY CONSULTED WHEN DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.
ALL COUNTRIES—ESPECIALLY THE RICHEST—MUST WORK TOGETHER INTERNATIONALLY BY FUNDING INITIATIVES THAT PROTECT MARINE ENVIRONMENTS IN DEVELOPING NATIONS, SUCH AS SMALL-SCALE FISHING, SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AND RENEWABLE ENERGY INITIATIVES.
THIS LAW SAFEGUARDS THEIR CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TIES TO THE SEA BY ALLOWING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FISHING, RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES AND RECREATION WITHIN A GIVEN TERRITORY.
TO PROTECT THESE RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE OCEAN AS A COMMON GOOD RATHER THAN A RESOURCE TO BE EXPLOITED.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT EVEN IF YOU LIVE FAR FROM THE OCEAN, YOU CAN STILL MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT!
IF WE EAT FISH OR SEAFOOD, WE SHOULD SUPPORT LOCAL FISHERIES.
ALL LIVING THINGS ARE CONNECTED THROUGH THE WATER CYCLE, IT’S THE FOUNDATION OF LIFE ON EARTH.
IF WE LIVE NEAR THE OCEAN, WE CAN ORGANIZE A BEACH CLEANUP.
WHEN BUYING SUNSCREEN OR OTHER PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, WE CAN CHOOSE ONES THAT DON’T HARM CORALS AND DON’T CONTAIN PLASTIC.
LET’S PAY ATTENTION TO HOW MUCH WATER WE USE EACH DAY AND TRY TO REDUCE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
WE SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF GREENHOUSE GAS POLLUTION IN OUR DAILY LIVES:
- OPTING FOR ECO-FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION (LIKE BIKING OR WALKING)
- EATING LOCAL FOODS TO REDUCE LONG-DISTANCE SHIPPING
- USING LESS ENERGY (FOR HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING)
LET’S REDUCE OUR USE OF PLASTIC AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WE NOW KNOW IT ENDS UP IN THE OCEAN.
WELL SAID!
WE CAN ALL SHARE THE EARTH—HERE, TOGETHER—WHILE ENSURING THAT EVERYONE’S RIGHTS ARE RESPECTED.
EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN A CLEAN, HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT!
ACIDIFICATION OF WATER
AN ENVIRONMENTAL PHENOMENON CAUSED MAINLY BY THE INCREASE OF CARBON DIOXIDE (CO₂) IN THE ATMOSPHERE. CO₂ FROM HUMAN ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS INDUSTRY, TRANSPORTATION AND AGRICULTURE, IS ABSORBED BY THE OCEAN. ONCE DISSOLVED IN WATER, CO₂ FORMS CARBONIC ACID, WHICH INCREASES THE OCEAN’S ACIDITY.
BIOME
AN ECOLOGICAL REGION DEFINED BY A SPECIFIC CLIMATE, VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE, MADE UP OF SEVERAL ECOSYSTEMS.
DARK OXYGEN
A TYPE OF OXYGEN THAT FORMS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN, WHERE SUNLIGHT DOESN’T REACH. NORMALLY THE OXYGEN WE BREATHE COMES FROM PLANTS THAT PRODUCE IT THROUGH PHOTOSYNTHESIS USING SUNLIGHT.
CARBON SINK
A NATURAL RESERVOIR THAT ABSORBS AND STORES CARBON DIOXIDE (CO₂) FROM THE ATMOSPHERE, HELPING TO REDUCE THE GREENHOUSE GASES RESPONSIBLE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.
FOOD SECURITY
A SITUATION IN WHICH ALL PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO SUFFICIENT, SAFE AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO MEET THEIR DIETARY NEEDS AND LEAD AN ACTIVE, HEALTHY LIFE.
GLOBAL WARMING
THE GRADUAL INCREASE IN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE AND OCEANS, MAINLY CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY. THIS PHENOMENON IS LINKED TO THE BUILDUP OF GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
PEOPLE WHOSE ANCESTORS WERE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF A COUNTRY OR GEOGRAPHIC REGION, BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF GROUPS FROM OTHER CULTURES OR OTHER ETHNIC ORIGINS WHO LATER BECAME DOMINANT THROUGH COLONIZATION, OCCUPATION OR CONQUEST.
MASS TOURISM
A TREND IN WHICH LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE VISIT THE SAME TOURIST DESTINATION, OFTEN AT THE SAME TIME, CREATING SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, LOCAL CULTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
NODULE
THE NODULES MENTIONED HERE ARE ROUNDED CLUSTERS MEASURING FROM A FEW CENTIMETRES TO SEVERAL DOZEN CENTIMETRES IN DIAMETER. THEY FORM VERY SLOWLY (ONLY A FEW MILLIMETRES PER MILLION YEARS).
PERMAFROST
A TYPE OF SOIL THAT REMAINS PERMANENTLY FROZEN FOR AT LEAST TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
THE PROCESS BY WHICH PLANTS, ALGAE AND TREES PRODUCE (SYNTHESIZE) ORGANIC MATTER USING LIGHT ENERGY. THEY ABSORB CARBON DIOXIDE (CO₂) FROM THE AIR AND RELEASE OXYGEN.
PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE
TAKING PREVENTIVE ACTION BY AVOIDING DECISIONS OR ACTIVITIES THAT COULD BE HARMFUL, SINCE THERE IS NO CLEAR SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE SAFE.
STATE OBLIGATIONS
RESPONSIBILITIES THAT GOVERNMENTS HAVE TOWARD PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS PART OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE, WHICH INCLUDES THEIR TRADITIONS, UNDERSTANDING OF NATURE AND WAYS OF USING RESOURCES. THIS KNOWLEDGE COMES FROM GENERATIONS WHO HAVE LIVED IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT, AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW OVER TIME.
WEATHER EVENT
ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA OBSERVED IN A GIVEN REGION OVER A SHORT OR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, INCLUDING RAIN, SNOW, WIND, STORMS, HEAT WAVES AND COLD SNAPS.
