A Sea of Wealth: The Blue Economy and the Future of Our Oceans

Summary

A bold, hopeful argument for using our oceans to meet the worldwide need for food, renewable energy, and economic well-being without sacrificing the health of the planet

As the world struggles to feed humanity, fuel economies and trade, and fulfill global energy needs, companies and governments are rushing to the vast blue expanse that covers two-thirds of our planet. But should we let them? A Sea of Wealth makes the provocative case for why we must harness the ocean—and demonstrates how we can do so wisely.

Blending the latest science with engaging personal stories from a lifetime spent in and around the ocean, Ben Halpern takes readers around the globe to explore five key resources in the rapidly emerging blue economy: food, energy, transport, minerals, and carbon. He carefully considers what each has to offer, their environmental risks, and how they compare to land-based alternatives, while wrestling with his own feelings about using the sea. The danger is that industry and government will push too fast, too far into the ocean. Yet these expanding uses could provide environmental solutions at a planetary scale.

A timely book by one of the world’s most influential environmental scientists, A Sea of Wealth tackles the question of whether we should halt or encourage the exploitation of our oceans and their untold resources—the answers may surprise you.