2021 Ocean Health Index Reveals Africa and Middle East Nations Lacking in Coastal Protection, Food Provision

The health of an ocean ecosystem is a complex issue that can be measured in various ways. One way to quantify and index the status quo is through the annual Ocean Health Index, which ranks countries based on their ocean health benefits. According to the index, four out of the five lowest-scoring countries with more than 100,000 residents are located in Africa and the Middle East.

Eritrea ranks lowest out of 220 nations and regions analyzed with a score of 54.8, followed by the Ivory Coast and the Republic of the Congo. These countries score poorly on food provision, livelihoods and economies, and coastal protection sub-indices. In contrast, some islands off the eastern coast of Africa are faring much better in terms of ocean health. For example, the Seychelles ranks first with a score of 86.6, while Mayotte and Portugal also rank high in the index.

The global average index score is 73.5, representing a 1.3 point increase from the index’s first edition. The Ocean Health Index was first published in 2012 and measures how well ocean systems are providing people with the benefits and services they need from marine ecosystems. The index analyzes ten overarching goals such as biodiversity, clean waters, carbon storage, food provision, and tourism and recreation.