In 2018, a panel of world leaders was established with the goal of creating a plan to achieve a ‘sustainable ocean economy’ in which our precious oceans are guarded against exploitation. The panel featured a mix of 14 developed and developing nations from around the world, including Norway, Portugal, Canada, Japan, Australia, Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia, and island nations such as Fiji and Palau.

This week, we saw the fruits of this international collaboration as a new science-based report has been released that details the ambitious goals and strategies that must be achieved by 2025 in order to create a long-term “blue economy.” The report includes plans to curb ocean warming, overfishing, marine pollution, and losses of habitat and biodiversity. Other plans include scaling up new industries such as the commercial farming of seaweed and algae, eliminating unregulated fishing, and making renewable ocean energy sources cost-competitive.

As reported by Fast Company, each specific plan is backed by 19 different scientific studies, which were commissioned by the panel, and carried out by 250 scientific authors from 48 countries. Should the suggested measures be implemented correctly, it is estimated that the measures would produce 6 times more food, 40 times more renewable energy, and contribute a fifth of the greenhouse gas emission reductions required to stay within 1.5°C of warming.

All 14 countries featured in the panel have pledged to implement these strategies in 100 percent of their nation’s waters by 2025, which accounts for 30 percent of the world’s oceans. Moving forward, the panel is encouraging other coastal and island nations to join. The hope is that by 2030, 100 percent of ocean areas will be under national jurisdictions that are sustainably managed.

Want to learn more about the Ocean panel? Have a look right here.