Despite numerous international treaties and voluntary commitments, the seas are still being massively overfished, polluted and increasingly exploited as the Earth's last resort. In view of the oceans’ poor condition, the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) developed a long-term vision of the conservation and sustainable use of the blue continent: All marine zones with the exception of territorial waters should be declared the common heritage of mankind. In order to move closer to this ultimate goal for ocean governance, the WBGU also makes recommendations for action that link up with ongoing political processes. In this context it examines the example of two focal themes: food (sustainable fisheries and aquaculture) and energy from the sea. The report shows that sustainable stewardship of the oceans is urgently necessary, that the seas can be incorporated into a transformation towards a low-carbon, sustainable society, and that such a transformation can achieve substantial benefits worldwide both for a sustainable energy supply and for food security.
The focus of this paper World in Transition: Governing the Marine Heritage is on the rules governing the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, and above all on how we can ensure that these rules are implemented. In addition to providing answers to these questions, the present report aims to present an integrated vision on the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the oceans. A corresponding new marine policy should be a key project in the Great Transformation towards a lowcarbon, sustainable society.