Tracking shifting baselines on known marine and coastal habitat extents globally

Reliable data on marine and coastal ecosystems lie at the heart of informed decision-making that sustains marine biodiversity, yet these data are often fragmented and difficult to access, with ever-shifting baselines of... [ view full abstract ]

Reliable data on marine and coastal ecosystems lie at the heart of informed decision-making that sustains marine biodiversity, yet these data are often fragmented and difficult to access, with ever-shifting baselines of knowledge. In 2011, the UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre’s (UNEP-WCMC’s) release of the Ocean Data Viewer marked a significant step forward by offering an easy-to-use interface hosting more than 2.5 million remotely sensed, in situ, and modelled biodiversity records, including known seagrass, coral, and mangrove distributions.

Now, UNEP-WCMC is seeking “smart” approaches to tracking the known extent and condition of marine and coastal habitats globally by establishing an international network of national focal points, and thereby contributing to a step-change in global access to and use of spatial data. Here, we review the evolution and application of these datasets, highlighting key statistics from recent analyses. We also describe improvements undertaken (e.g. standardised attributes, validation, and quality metrics), our engagement with national focal points and our vision for the coming years, illustrating how these efforts will help move the conservation agenda forward by tracking progress towards global targets, such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Sustainable Development Goals, and helping to prioritise areas for capacity development and management.