Here are 5 reasons why the ocean is so important　

海がこれほど重要な５つの理由　ワールドエコノミックフォーラム

Unless you’ve been making a superhuman effort to avoid the news recently, you’ll know that the ocean is vital to life on Earth. But why, exactly, is this the case?

Here are five reasons why we need to safeguard its future.

1. It helps us breathe　海は私たちの呼吸を助けている

Phytoplankton – tiny plant-like organisms that live in the sea – are responsible for at least 50% of the oxygen on Earth.

Just like land-based plants, they contain chlorophyll to capture sunlight and use photosynthesis to convert it into the energy they need, producing oxygen as a byproduct. They also consume carbon dioxide, transferring about 10 gigatonnes of carbon from the atmosphere deep into the ocean each year.

2. It helps regulate the climate　海は気候を調節してくれる

The ocean absorbs huge amounts of heat from the sun. “More than 90% of the warming that has happened on Earth over the past 50 years has occurred in the ocean,” according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

That heat tends to be at its most intense nearer the equator, with the water nearest the surface warming the most. Sea currents then transport that heat around the world; north and south, towards the poles. As some of the sea water evaporates it becomes denser and heavier, due to its relatively higher salt content. That causes it to sink, taking some of the warm water deeper.

3. It’s an important source of food　意味は食料の供給源

4. Its biodiversity is incredible　驚異的な生物多様性

5. It creates millions of jobs　海は非常に多くの仕事を作り出してくれる

全文はこちらからどうぞ。

世界でも海を綺麗にする活動が広がっています。

インドのAfroz Shahさんはプラスチックゴミに覆われていたムンバイのVersova beachをきれいにし、今は下水道のようになっている17kmに及ぶRiver Mithiの浄化に取り組んでいます。

最近ニュースを避けるために超人的な努力をしていない限り、海は地球上の生命にとって不可欠であることを知っているでしょう。しかし、なぜそうなのでしょうか？