Co-operation is needed both in research and in seeking solutions to ocean problems. They drive our climate and weather, controlling the global deliveries of heat and fresh water. They provide a livelihood for many millions of people worldwide through fishing, the exploitation of energy and mineral resources, shipping, defence and leisure activities. More than half the world's population lives near the sea at a density ten times greater than elsewhere. They are used directly and indirectly for waste disposal.
Most waste eventually ends up in the oceans.
Marine water quality is an important indicator of environmental health. The oceans contribute enormously to the biodiversity of the planet. Sediments from the ocean floor contain a record of life's evolution, the changing position of the continents, and the past variability of the Earth's climate. Climate change, perhaps accelerated by human activities, is predicted to cause major alterations in ocean currents. The nature of these changes, and their implications, are at present unpredictable.