Oceans Case Studies

How much carbon from the atmosphere do krill remove each year?

12 billion tonnes

How much has krill population declined since the 1970s?

80%

What is CCMLAR’s total allowable catch limit for the krill fishing season in each sub-area?

620,000 tonnes per year

What does CCAMLR stand for?

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

How much of the Southern Ocean is a Marine Protected Area?

5%

What is the name of the group of 5 largest krill fishing companies who agreed to stop fishing in sensitive coastal Antarctic areas in 2018?

Association of Responsible Krill Harvesting (ARK)

Which 5 countries harvest krill?

Chile, China, Norway, South Korea & Ukraine

CVS Pharmacy are the largest pharmacy chain in the USA and sell krill products, how much was their revenue in 2021?

$292 billion

How much oil was spilt into the Gulf of Mexico in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

4.9 million barrels

When did the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill occur?

20th April 2010

How deep was Deep Water horizon drilling when the explosion took place?

1,600m

When was the Deep Water Horizon well sealed?

19th September (5 months later)

What was the potential cost of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the tourism industry over 3 years?

$23 billion

Up to how many sea turtles were killed in the Deepwater Oil spill?

170,000

225,000km2 of the Gulf of Mexico was initially closed to fishing, how much did this cost both the commercial and tourist fishing industries?

$2.5 billion

What percentage of dolphin pregnancies failed in the oil area in the 5 years following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

75%

How many people, vessels and aircraft were deployed to help clear the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

46,000, 6,920, 121

How many countries offered assistance to clear the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and how many offers of specialist equipment were accepted?

70, 8

How much in fines and claims have BP paid for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

$42 billion

How much was paid to individuals in the Gulf region as compensation for economic damages or medical issues following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

$11.6 billion

At what latitude is The North Atlantic Gyre located?

22N-38N

What is the estimated density of rubbish in some places of The North Atlantic Gyre?

200,000 per km2

How much does the debris zone in The North Atlantic Gyre shift north and south seasonally?

1,600km

What percentage of ocean plastics are estimated to come from land-based sources?

80%

What percentage of ocean pollution is estimated to come from fishing activities?

10%

What animals breed in the North Atlantic gyre?

Endangered European & American eels

How much more concentrated are polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs) in the North Atlantic gyre than open oceans?

4x

What is the name of the seaweed that creates a unique ecosystem in the North Atlantic Gyre?

Sargassam

How much is most of the plastic in the North Atlantic Gyre smaller than?

0.1 cm

What are the 4 currents that create the North Atlantic Gyre?

Canary Current, North Atlantic Current, North Equatorial Current, Gulf Stream

What percentage of the Maldives is less than 1m below sea level?

80%

How many tourists did The Maldives receive a year pre-Covid?

1.7 million

How much loss of land does the IPCC predict for The Maldives by 2085?

77%

How much does the IPCC predict The Maldives sea level will rise by 2085?

50cm

How much did The Maldives GDP fall in 2020 due to covid harming the tourism industry?

33%

Scub-typhus remerged in 2022 in The Maldives, what is its mortality rate?

10%

How much did the Maldives government ask Japan to give them to build the 3m sea wall protecting the capital Male?

$60 million

What is the name of the artificial island build 2m above sea level by The Maldives government?

Hulhamale

How much do homes on The Maldives Dutch-designed floating city cost? What is The Maldives average annual salary?

$150,000-$250,000, $11,000

How much deposition over 4 months can the partially submerged ramps to grow new islands for the Maldives create?

50cm

What countries is The Maldives government considering long term relocation to?

Australia, India, Sri Lanka

What percentage of waste disposal sites are located less than 100m from the Maldives shoreline?

90%

How many Arctic indigenous people died due to falling through ice in the 2006 winter?

12

What did Arctic temperatures reach in winter 2006 meaning many had to purchase air conditioners?

31 degrees

About how many of Newtok’s (Alaska) population moved to higher land Mertavik in 2019 due to rapid erosion of Newtok?

1/3

What is the estimated cost of the relocation of the Alaskan village Sismaref due to increased flooding and thawing permafrost?

$180 million

What is the 2nd most threatened community in Alaska?

Sishmaref

How much did the barrier island at Kivalina, Alaska constructed to protect against erosion cost before it was damaged?

$3 million

How many new homes have been built at Mertarvik for those moving from Newtok?

213

Arctic indigenous people cannot reach the nesting ground of which bird harvested for meat, eggs and soft feathers in winter?

Eiderducks

How many Alaskan villages have been identified as facing imminent threats of flooding and erosion?

31

How many Alaskan villages identified as facing imminent threats of flooding and erosion have made plans to partially or entirely relocate?

12

How much has Arctic ice thickness declined 1960-2021?

68%

The Northwest Passage (Arctic sea route north of Canadian mainland) is how much shorter than sailing through the Panama Canal?

4,000km

Russia’s Northern Sea Route through the Arctic is how much shorter than sailing through the Panama canal?

8,000km

How much fuel did LNG tankers (make up largest proportion of traffic on the Northern Sea Route) burn in 2019?

239,000 tonnes

How much are the two 900kw wind turbines in Nome, Alaska estimated to save the community annually due to reduced diesel use?

$744,000

Under UNCLOS Canada, Denmark (Greenland) and Russia all claim ownership of what 1800km underwater mountain range?

The Lomonosov Ridge

In what year did the Arctic Five (Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, USA) sign a declaration committing to orderly settlement of Arctic borders?

2008

Who held chairmanship of the Arctic Council 2021-2023 which meant meetings were boycotted?

Russia

Who holds the current chairmanship of the Arctic Council?

Norway

Who are the 8 Arctic states who can vote in the Arctic council?

Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia & USA

What percentage of recent kidnappings happened in the Gulf of Guinea?

97%

What year did oil prices plummet?

2016

What percentage of reported piracy incidents occurred in the Gulf of Guinea in 2020?

40%

What do pirates in the Gulf of Guinea make from ransom payments annually?

$5 million

What is the estimated cost for combatting piracy for the 12 Gulf of Guinea countries?

$2 billion

Updates to Benin’s security and navy meant how many pirate attacks occurred in Benin’s waters in 2020?

1

Non-African hostages make up what percentage of annual ransom money for Gulf of Guinea pirates?

97%

What percentage of the world’s proven oil resources are in the Gulf of Guinea?

5%

What percentage of Benin’s GDP does its port handle?

60%

What Mediterranean migration route departs from either Tunisia or Libya to Italy via islands of Lampedusa, Sicily or Malta?

Central route

How many attempted crossing of the Central Mediterranean Route have their been since 2014?

990,000

How many deaths or disappearances have there been crossing of the Central Mediterranean Route have their been since 2014?

17,000

What was youth unemployment in Tunisia October 2022?

38.8%

What was inflation in Tunisia February 2023?

10.4%

What percentage of Guinea live in poverty?

55%

What percentage of EU asylum application does Germany have?

25%

What is the unemployment rate in Germany?

5%

What is the name of the EU’s current strategy to reduce migration by placing an arms embargo on Libya and disrupting human trafficking? (9 million euro budget per year)

Operation Irini

What was China’s defence budget in 2025?

$245 billion

China’s string of pearls creates sea lines through choke points like the Strait of Malacca that carries what percentage of the world’s traded goods?

25%

China opened a People’s Liberation Army base in Djibouti (3rd smallest country in Africa) in 2017. How much does Djibouti make from its rent each year?

$300 million

What is Dijoubti’s GDP?

Less than $1 billion

With what country does China have an Economic Collaboration Project supplying weapons?

Pakistan

How much more does China spend on defence than India?

4x

How much did India invest in the Iran Chabahor Port as a direct response to China investing in a port in Ghabahar, Iran?

$8 million

India set up the QUAD alliance with which countries to keep the Indo-Pacific free from Chinese military influence?

Australia, Japan, USA

Where did India invest in a deep water harbour to gain military access to the Malacca Strait entrance?

Indonesia

India invested in the Changi port in what country in the South China Sea to allow their army to rearm and refuel?

Singapore