Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Coastal communities worldwide face growing environmental and human rights burdens from the expanding ocean economy. Yet ocean defenders who mobilize to defend the marine environment, their territories, and their rights often experience repression, intimidation, and violence. Society has a moral and legal duty to protect human rights and ocean defenders. Governments, the private sector, civil society organizations, funders, human rights institutions, and the international ocean governance community must mobilize urgently to support and safeguard ocean defenders.
Source: npj Ocean Sustainability
Authors: Nathan J. Bennett, Rocío López de la Lama, Francisco Araos, Raymond K. Ayilu, Prabal Barua, Jessica L. Blythe, John Childs, Jewel Das, Santiago De la Puente, Irmak Ertör, Pinar Ertör-Akyazi, Tahura Farbin, Leopoldo Cavaleri Gerhardinger, Marion Glaser, Hugh Govan, Aurelia Guasch, Philippe Le Billon, Priscila F. M. Lopes, Melissa Marschke, Navya Vikraman Nair, Prateep Kumar Nayak, Isaac Nyameke, Richard A. Nyiawung, Taryn Pereira Kaplan, Wladimir Riquelme, Aliou Sall, Samiya Ahmed Selim, Gabriel B. G. Souza, Ron Vave, Amber L. Carter, Marina Gomei, Maria B. Honig, Eleanor Sibthorpe, Madhavi Indarjeet, Lamin Jassey, Editrudith Lukanga, Terence Patrick T. Repelente, Olan Leimomi Fisher, Mark Andrachuk, Cecilia Blasco, Marcelo Borges Doroso, Joseph S. Boyle, Annette Breckwoldt, Easkey Britton, Geodisio Castillo, Kai M. A. Chan, Kevin K. J. Chang, Jennifer K. Chapman, Anthony Charles, David Costalago, Roman Eyholzer, Gabriela S. Fernandes, Elena M. Finkbeiner, Juno Fitzpatrick, Dennis M. Fritsch, João Garcia Rodrigues, Sílvia Gómez, Em Hoggett, Georgia Holly, Barbara Horta e Costa, Jean Hugé, Priscilla Ibadin, Philip E. Jakpor, Johnson Jament, Mahnaz Q. Kadhemi, Mariko Kageyama, Michael Kakande, Peter Kayanga, Joyce Keingati, Ingrid Kelling, Miriah M. R. Kelly, Arne Kinds, Franck P. Koman, Ruth H. Leeney, Marie-Isabell Lenz, Carla A. Leone, Mae Lubetkin, Enock E. Makupa, Federica Manca, Julie Marty-Gastaldi, Philile Mbatha, Lauren S. McElroy, Elizar Medina, Jerry Timothy Mngomezulu, Percy Munayco Silva, Md. Nahiduzzaman, Nitasha Nehal, Emmanuel O. Nuesiri, Fernando Pardo Núñez, Sarah M. Otterstrom, Stefan Partelow, Bodhi L. Patil, Laura M. Pereira, Montse Pijoan, Deborah S. Prado, Paulina Ramirez-Monsalve, Silvia Rayo-Luengo, Alexandra Rubin, Cecile Sabourault, Rocky Sanchez Tirona, Patricia Sangiorgi Monroy, Tracy Schultz, El Hadji Amadou Sow, James Sturz, Shannon S. Swanson, Livia Tolve, Leone Ugolini, Jose Urteaga, Natasa Vaidianu, Jade Aloïs Velonjara, Sara Vieira, Alan T. White, U. Rashid Sumaila
Institutions: University of British Columbia, World Wildlife Fund, International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy, University of Bonn, University of Chile, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Jahangirnagar University, Brock University, Lancaster University, University of Chittagong, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Boğaziçi University, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Solomon Islands National University, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, University of Bucharest, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, University of Ottawa, University of Waterloo, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Rhodes University, Universidade Federal da Bahia, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Edinburgh, WWF Italia, University of Oxford, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway, Saint Mary's University, Oceana, Conservation International, University of California, Santa Cruz, Universidade do Porto, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve, University of Algarve, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ghent University, Open University of the Netherlands, University of Sussex, Tohoku University, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, Heriot-Watt University, Southern Connecticut State University, Ifremer, AMURE - Centre de droit et d'économie de la mer, University College Dublin, The University of Dodoma, University of Helsinki, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Côte d'Azur, Ecology and Conservation Science for Sustainable Seas, University of Cape Town, Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of the Witwatersrand, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Universidade de Vigo, Marine Conservation Institute, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, The University of Queensland, California State University, San Marcos, University of Florence, University of Pisa, Ovidius University, University of Pretoria
Language: English
Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,090
OpenAlex ID: W7172105219