COVID-19 has brought untold suffering to communities worldwide, compounded by what World Bank estimates suggest will be the worst recession since World War II. Such a cataclysmic event requires a bold response, both in the immediate term by providing medical care and the safety nets needed to prevent people from falling into poverty but also in the longer term. As we work with countries to build back their economies and strengthen their communities, it cannot be business as usual and sustainability needs to be fully built into the recovery. But building back better should go beyond the green recovery that is being spoken about and embrace a “Blue Recovery.” The pandemic struck at a time when oceans are under increasing threat from myriad impacts  – ranging from the warming effects of climate change to pollution caused by coastal run-off and marine litter, overfishing and coral reef and biodiversity loss.

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