We at Grist have a bit of a stormy relationship with the sea. Sometimes it can be gross and scary; sometimes it’s just sad and scary; very occasionally it is cute and only a little scary. But since salt water covers the vast majority of the surface of our planet, it’s worth turning an eye to how the other half lives — especially when it comes to climate change.
It’s no secret that the oceans have helped slow the tide on global warming for years now (thanks, bro!). Meanwhile, overfishing, oil spills, and ocean acidification aren’t doing our salty friend any favors. And while we could easily clog the channels with all the mad n’ sad ocean news fit to print, we’re not going to do that. Neither will we Lisa Frank-ify some big fish tales to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Instead, for the next few weeks, we will be taking a good ol’ Grist-y look at some of the things smart people are doing to address these ocean woes, and what still remains to be done.
We won’t resort to pessimism or Pollyanna-ism: We know that sea level is rising and we’re all going to have to deal with it eventually. Finding out how climate resilience, food security, and environmental justice work on the liquid parts of the planet will only help us along. And you can be sure we’ll throw in some sea monsters for good measure.
