[H.eco Forum] Healthy marine ecosystem vital for humanity, experts tell forum

The ocean holds greater importance for the survival of humanity than people realize, environmental experts said, calling for people's active participation in building sustainable oceans with thriving ecosystems, at the H.eco Forum held in Seoul, Wednesday.

Transformations in the seas cause significant climate change, warned speakers for the annual forum, stressing that the world needs to pay more attention to marine life and realize that drastic change in the seas would have irreversible consequences to mankind.

Former US Vice President Al Gore, who was the co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, made a surprise appearance to the forum and told the audience that the world is facing drastic climate change and more attention is needed to solve such environmental problems.

Ali Tabrizi, the director of the groundbreaking Netflix documentary “Seaspiracy” (2021), also shed light on the alarming situation oceans face, pointing out that 90 percent of the large fish in the seas have disappeared in the past 50 years and 70 percent of the world’s wildlife population has vanished. But small actions matter, he said.

“(The major social changes in history have) always started with just one passionate person or a few passionate people willing to break forth," he said.

“How many of us believe that the ocean has an endless fish supply and that we need to eat fish on a regular basis to consume omega-3 for our brain? These false beliefs are a kind of software that runs our lives,” said the director, pointing out several beliefs that justify excessive consumption by humans.

The filmmaker suggested three major changes to save both the ocean and humanity: Shift to a plant-based diet, stop subsidizing the fishing industry and protect 30 percent of the ocean from fishing by 2030.

“Saving the ocean is not a complicated matter. We just have to leave it alone,” said Tabrizi.

Nam Sung-hyun, a professor in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Seoul National University, emphasized the importance of oceanic science to diagnosing marine environmental crises.

"More than half of the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean. The oceans are also called ‘climate controllers,’ which shows the essential position they take in the problem of the climate crisis," said Nam, who was participating in the H.eco Forum for the second consecutive year. He stressed that the climate crisis and global warming cannot be solved without knowing about the sea.

Nam explained that 93.4 percent of the heat absorbed due to the greenhouse effect goes into the ocean.

"This is as much energy as four atomic bombs exploding per second," he added, stressing that changes in sea temperatures will ultimately affect the entire circulation cycle of water.

“We're going to experience an abnormal climate like nothing we've ever experienced, such as extreme droughts and heavy downpours in unexpected locations," said Nam.

"To maintain the ocean we desire, we must understand the sea well. We will not seek to destroy objects that we understand and know well," added Nam.

The H.eco Forum is an annual event designed to raise awareness on environmental disasters posing grave threats to humanity. Herald Corp., which publishes The Korea Herald and Herald Business, is the host and the organizer of the forum.