The United Nations Environment Programme estimated in 2006 that every square mile of ocean contained 46,000 pieces of floating plastic

50% of plastic

products are used just

once and thrown away

Approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used every year worldwide. More than 1,000,000 plastic bags are used every minute

Mean sea surface temperatures have risen by about 0.7 degrees Celsius over the past 100 years

Sea surface temperatures are likely to increase by over 3 degrees Celsius in some ocean regions by 2100

of the world’s major marine

ecosystems have been

significantly degraded or

are unsustainably used

Around 90% of the energy

from warming of the Earth

system has been stored in

the ocean over recent decades

By 2100 the world’s oceans are likely to be 150% more acidic

Plastic debris causes the deaths

of more than 1,000,000

seabirds and

100,000

marine

mammals

every

year

For the rest of this article (Asian Diver Issue 4/2016, Volume 143) and other stories, check out our past issues here or download digital copy here.