The ocean is Earth’s blue heart. More than 70% of the earth's surface is covered in water, so why haven't we done more to protect our oceans?
About 12% of the land around the world is now under some form of protection, while less than 4% of the ocean is protected in any way.
Mission Blue is an initiative to ignite public support for the protection of Hope Spots – special places that are critical to the health of the ocean – through the creation of a global network of marine protected areas to safeguard 20% of the ocean by 2020.
Networks of marine protected areas maintain healthy biodiversity, provide a carbon sink, generate life-giving oxygen, preserve critical habitat and allow low-impact activities like ecotourism to thrive. They are good for the ocean, which means they are good for us.
In 2014, Netflix released the original documentary 'Mission Blue' to chronicle the efforts of Dr. Sylvia Earle, founder of the namesake organization, to protect our oceans.
Dr. Sylvia Earle, a TED Prize winner, Times Woman of the Year, is the first woman to hold the position as Chief Scientist National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
