Maintain living standards from aquaculture

Many people believe that the world’s rich countries must reduce their consumption dramatically in order to avoid an ecological disaster. However, Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University believes there is another solution. In an article published in the July issue of Scientific American’s online newsletter he writes “Global public policies and market institutions can promote new technologies that raise living standards yet reduce human impact on the environment. A crucial group of such technologies is aquaculture, the farming of marine animals, which can support growing human consumption of fish and other aquatic species while relieving intense pressures on ocean ecosystems. The rapid development of aquaculture in recent years has been likened to a “Blue Revolution” that matches the Green Revolution of higher grain yields from the 1950s onward”. Jeffrey Sachs does not believe aquaculture by itself will solve the crises facing marine ecosystems. The farming of fish still needs refining and better aquaculture technologies are already evolving rapidly, and public funds and prizes could promote research to advance them. With sensible global policies, the Blue Revolution can indeed become a major force for improved human nutrition, economic well-being and environmental sustainability, Jeffrey D. Sachs wrote.

Picture: Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. 

Caption: The Promise of the Blue Revolution: Aquaculture can maintain living standards while averting the ruin of the oceans.