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The ocean encompasses 71 per cent of the planet's surface and a large portion of its habitable space. Whereas life on land is almost exclusively contained within a thin strip of breathable atmosphere overhead, in the ocean it is found from the waves that wash against the shore to the deepest canyons that plunge thousands of metres beneath the sea floor.

Biodiversity conservation an sustainable use with equitable sharing of benefits derived from its natural services are the basis of human well-being. Vital signs for biodiversity are plummeting and the related ecosystem services seriously undermined. Biodiversity benefits are being threatened by development choices that ignore the full value of these natural services to us all and particularly the poorest. Reversing this negative trend is not only possible, but essential to human well-being.