Oceans, plastics and fossil fuels - in conversation with Climate Reality Leader Pallawish Kumar

“After living for nearly 100 years on this planet, I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.” – David Attenborough

The ocean has been receiving growing attention recently, with David Attenborough’s new documentary and the third United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC 3) just around the corner.

It is hoped that the conference will result in the Nice Ocean Action Plan, setting out tangible actions to conserve and sustainably use the ocean into the future.

Establishing global accountability for ocean conservation is paramount. According to Li Junhua, a senior UN official and Secretary-General of the event, “the ocean is facing an unprecedented crisis due to climate change, plastic pollution, ecosystem loss, and the overuse of marine resources”. ¹

As our largest carbon sink, absorbing around 30 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions and capturing 90 percent of the excess heat, our oceans are under growing strain. From overfishing and biodiversity loss to acidification, warming, and plastic pollution, the threats are urgent and interconnected. ²
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While all these issues demand attention, this World Oceans Day we are focusing on the connection between fossil fuels, plastics, and oceanic health.

We are fortunate to have a network of dedicated Climate Reality Leaders working in ocean science and advocacy. One of them is Pallawish Kumar, Founder & Director of the Ocean and Climatic Research Institute (OACRI), who sat down with us to discuss the challenges and solutions shaping the future of our seas.
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Pallawish explains that the most powerful action an individual can take is to become a voice for ocean protection in both personal and political spaces. This includes reducing personal reliance on fossil fuels and plastics and demanding systemic change. 

“Advocate for stronger marine protection laws, support clean energy transitions, and hold corporations and governments accountable for ocean pollution and climate inaction,” he said.

​Please enjoy this extended interview and we hope you learn more about the interconnection between oceans and plastics. 

The problem, the science and possible solutions

Climate Reality: Pallawish, most people think of fossil fuels and plastics as land-based problems. Can you help us understand how deeply the ocean is involved in both their production and their impacts?
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Pallawish Kumar: "Absolutely. While fossil fuels and plastics often appear to be land-based issues, the ocean is intricately entangled in every stage of their lifecycle, from extraction to waste. Offshore oil drilling occurs directly within marine ecosystems, disrupting biodiversity, polluting waters, and risking catastrophic spills. Plastics, derived largely from petrochemicals, find their way into the ocean through rivers, runoff, and improper waste management. Once in the ocean, they don’t biodegrade. They break down into microplastics, infiltrating the food web from plankton to whales, and ultimately affecting human health. The ocean is not only a recipient of these impacts, but also a silent victim in the global production and disposal chain."

Climate Reality: How does harming the ocean through fossil fuels and plastics make the climate crisis worse?

Pallawish Kumar: "The ocean is earth’s largest carbon sink, it absorbs over 25% of the carbon dioxide emitted annually and more than 90% of excess heat from global warming. When we degrade marine ecosystems through oil spills, plastic pollution, and warming-induced coral bleaching, we weaken the ocean’s ability to regulate the climate. Plastics themselves emit greenhouse gases as they degrade, especially under sunlight. 

Furthermore, ocean acidification and deoxygenation, both fuelled by emissions and pollution, lead to biodiversity loss, disrupting food chains and diminishing the ocean’s resilience in the face of climate change. Harming the ocean accelerates the climate crisis and limits our ability to adapt to it."
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Climate Reality: Who bears the brunt of ocean degradation caused by fossil fuels and plastics, and is it fair to say this is an environmental justice issue?

Pallawish Kumar: "Yes, this is absolutely an environmental justice issue. The communities most affected by ocean degradation are often coastal Indigenous groups, small island developing states (SIDS) like those in the Pacific, artisanal fishers, and low-income populations who rely directly on the ocean for food, income, and cultural identity. These communities contribute the least to fossil fuel extraction and plastic production, yet face the highest exposure to marine pollution, coral reef loss, and declining fish stocks. It underscores a systemic inequality where those with the least environmental footprint bear the greatest ecological and social burden."

Climate Reality: What would a healthy, post-fossil-fuel ocean look like? Can we still reverse the damage?
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Pallawish Kumar: A post-fossil-fuel ocean would be biodiverse, self-regenerating, and equitable. We would see thriving coral reefs, resilient coastal habitats like mangroves and seagrass beds, restored fish populations, and clearer waters free from plastic waste. Ocean-based livelihoods would be sustained by regenerative practices rather than
​extractive ones.

Reversing the damage is still possible, but only if we act decisively. Phasing out fossil fuels, enforcing bans on single-use plastics, restoring critical marine habitats, and strengthening local ocean governance are key steps. Nature has a remarkable capacity to heal if given the space and time, but we must create that space now."

On this World Oceans Day, we encourage you to get involved. Take a look at the official website to find out more.

Sources:
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1. https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164026
2. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/ocean
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