The health, accessibility, knowledge, and resources of these bodies of water are crucial for human prosperity. The European Union (EU) maintains that water bodies such as oceans, seas, coastlines, and freshwater sources are the earth’s respiratory system, which in turn generates approximately 50 percent of human respiration through oxygen production. They also offer us fresh edible commodities that make up about 16% of our total animal protein requirement. Additionally, they serve as the planet’s largest carbon sink, having absorbed 26% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions since the Industrial Revolution.
