We’ve set sail into World Ocean Month, centered around World Ocean Day on June 8 and aligned with the week-long United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France. This year’s theme, “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,” highlights the ocean’s vital role in supporting life and the urgent need to protect it.
As a former marine biology student, this topic remains close to my heart—even if it’s no longer top of mind most days. Still, I’ll admit the current obsession with space travel alarms me. There’s untapped potential right here on Earth: medicines, renewable energy and technologies inspired by marine life. Why race to the stars when we’ve barely plumbed the depths?
Even more importantly, the ocean and humans are inextricably linked. The sea influences global climate and weather—which, in turn, affects our health—provides food and jobs, powers global trade and bolsters national security. And we can’t forget the ocean’s role in recreation, cultural identity and as sacred space for Indigenous communities around the world.
why race to the stars when we’ve barely plumbed the depths?
And so, a local beacon appeared on the horizon last week when California’s Ocean Protection Council adopted a new roadmap to help reach the state’s ambitious “30×30” goal: conserving 30% of land and waters by 2030. The plan prioritizes biodiversity protection, integrates tribal knowledge, and addresses region-specific threats—from estuary pollution to shoreline development. It’s charting a course for stronger, more targeted marine conservation.
Just as promising, California’s marine protected area network—spanning 1,100 miles of coastline and covering 16% of the state’s waters—became the first nature network in the world to earn Green List status from the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It’s an international signal that California’s science-based conservation model is a seaworthy one, showing how connected ecosystems can thrive under thoughtful stewardship.
California is no stranger to innovation. But as the tides of climate urgency rise, let’s ensure the state’s collaboration, conservation and science become the tide that lifts all boats.
