The David and Lucile Packard Foundation announced today the release of a new guide, Our Shared Seas: A 2017 Overview of Ocean Threats and Conservation Funding to help funders, advocates and governments understand the most pressing threats and promising solutions. The guide’s release comes days before “The Ocean Conference,” which begins on June 5, 2017 and is hosted by the United Nations to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14.
“It’s not too late for life in the ocean to recover, but time is of the essence,” said Meg Caldwell, Foundation Deputy Director, Oceans. “Given the urgency, we commissioned this research to identify the most pressing threats and promising solutions so we can continue to prioritize how to make an impact. We then wanted to publish the guide for other funders and advocates.”
“There is no shortage of threats or opportunities facing our ocean today,” said Matthew Elliott, Principal at California Environmental Associates. “Our hope is that this information will provide funders and the conservation community with a more complete picture of the options to encourage dialogue and inspire informed action.”
Our Shared Seas includes a first-of-its-kind analysis comparing ocean funding from the philanthropic and development aid communities. The report discovered that during 2015, roughly $800 million in grant funding was directed toward ocean conservation. Additionally, recent analysis shows that illegal and unreported fishing may be half the size of the officially reported catch. Alongside this data, the guide includes perspective pieces from experts commenting on critical issues, trends, or where they believe funders, governments, or non-governmental organization would benefit from further focus.
For more information about the guide, please visit: www.packard.org/OurSharedSeas.
