The release of the ninth book in the World Ocean Review (WOR 9) series could not be more timely, just after the UN Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) or High Seas Treaty officially entered into force this 17th January 2026, with a strong focus on biodiversity protection.
Biodiversity is complex and this latest WOR gently guides its readers through the abstract concept of marine biodiversity and shares statistics, key definitions and examples, along with a wealth of up-to-date research data on the patterns and mechanisms of ocean life. It provides clear and concise explanations of the role of new scientific tools such as metabarcoding and artificial intelligence and sheds light on the mutually reinforcing effects of the multiple drivers of species decline. WOR 9 includes eight chapters of key facts, background information and stories around marine biodiversity, from genetic differences between individual species, the distribution of marine life and its benefits to human society, and the effectiveness of marine conservation policy, to the diverse values that we assign to the ocean and its biological communities.
WOR 9 also offers hope. As a society, we have the knowledge we need for effective conservation and sustainable management of marine life and its multiple functions. We still have the capability to achieve the broad-scale recovery of degraded marine habitats within just 25 years. In several chapters, WOR9 describes how we can bring about this vital turnaround in our management of the oceans.
“The ninth edition of WOR emphasizes that the conservation of marine biodiversity requires not only accurate analyses
by natural scientists, but also farsightedness on the part of society and commitment from policymakers.
The coming decades will determine whether we strike a new balance between use and protection –
and thus succeed in preserving the ocean as the source of our vital natural resources,”
Nikolaus Gelpke, initiator of the WOR project, Managing Director of maribus gGmbH, Patron of IOI
The World Ocean Review series, launched in 2010, is published by maribus gGmbH in partnership with the German Marine Research Consortium (KDM), the International Ocean Institute, and the ocean magazine mare. It is published every two years in German and English and has a worldwide readership of policymakers, business players and civil society stakeholders with an interest in the topics covered. It provides up-to-date background information on relevant ocean-related issues and is aimed at anyone wishing to have a say on marine conservation and use.
The purpose of the WOR publications is to present scientifically robust knowledge in a form accessible to any reader, and thus to serve all those who wish to engage actively and knowledgeably in debate on the issues surrounding marine science. Most importantly it is available for free download and to order in hardcopy both in English and German here.