The United States scored slightly above average in a worldwide assessment of how coastal nations contribute to the health of the world’s oceans, assigned by a group of more than 30 researchers from around the globe. On a 0–100 scale, the U.S. scored 63, three points above the average Ocean Health Index of 60. The full analysis, published this week in Nature, points to recreation and tourism as being among leading concerns.
“When we conclude that the health of the oceans is 60 on a scale of 100, that doesn’t mean we’re failing,” coauthor Karen McLeod, an ecologist at Oregon State University, director of science at COMPASS, said in a press release. “Instead, it shows there’s room for improvement, suggests where strategic actions can make the biggest difference, and gives us a benchmark against which to evaluate progress over time. The index allows us to track what’s happening to the ...
