Mon Mar 31 13:35:51 UTC 2025: ## Ocean Economy’s Booming Growth Faces Sustainability Crisis, Warns OECD

**Paris, France** – The global ocean economy, a powerhouse that doubled in size between 1995 and 2020, reaching $2.3 trillion by 2020, is facing a critical juncture, according to a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). While projected to nearly quadruple by 2050, this growth is threatened by a confluence of factors, including climate change, environmental degradation, and insufficient digital transformation.

The OECD report, released ahead of a high-level Paris summit, highlights the ocean’s vital role: providing food for over three billion people, facilitating 80% of global trade, and carrying 98% of international internet traffic. Tourism and offshore oil and gas currently dominate the sector, contributing almost two-thirds of its output. However, the report warns that unless decisive action is taken, the ocean economy risks major disruption.

The report emphasizes the need for improved sustainability practices. Pressures from human population growth, increased pollution, overfishing, and rising ocean temperatures are impacting marine ecosystems and threatening the livelihoods of the 100 million people employed in the ocean economy. The emergence of a “dark ocean economy” fueled by illegal activities further complicates the issue.

OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann stressed the urgency of the situation, stating that “Through science-based policy, improved management of marine spaces, and innovative digital solutions, we can protect the jobs, livelihoods, and food security of hundreds of millions of people who depend on the ocean.” The report calls for strengthened international cooperation and governance to ensure a productive and sustainable blue economy.

The OECD’s warning comes as the United Nations prepares for a major ocean conference in Nice, France in June, focusing on addressing the challenges facing the world’s oceans and promoting their sustainable use. The future prosperity of this vital economic sector hinges on immediate and effective action to mitigate the threats it faces.

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