The world’s ocean is in an urgent state of decline—here’s what we do to protect it.

The ocean sustains life on our planet, from absorbing carbon to regulating temperatures. But as we exhaust the resources on land, its reserves are increasingly dredged and extracted to fuel new industry. Today we are facing two urgent challenges at sea: massive environmental destruction, and spiraling inequality in the ocean economy.

Chris Armstrong reveals how existing governing institutions are failing to respond to the most pressing problems of our time. From the fate of people whose lands will be submerged as sea levels rise, to the exploitation of people working in fishing, to the rights of marine animals, Armstrong examines the current crises and makes the case for a powerful World Ocean Authority capable of tackling them.

A Blue New Deal presents a radical manifesto for putting equality, democracy, and sustainability at the heart of ocean politics.