The planet has 595,814 km of coastline . About 40% of the world's population lives less than 100 km from the coast , an area that barely represents 20% of the land mass. This means that they are highly populated areas with multiple problems.
What is worrying is that the degradation of the marine environment has intensified in the last 30 years . It is estimated that approximately 50% of coastal ecosystems have been altered or destroyed by industries, cities, aquaculture and tourism. And that more than 70,000 synthetic chemicals have been dumped into the oceans. Overexploitation of marine biological resources and loss of habitat is now as serious a threat as pollution.
