They are the primary regulator of the global climate, function as an important sink for greenhouse gases, serve as the host for huge reservoirs of biodiversity and play a major role in producing the oxygen we breathe. The First Global Integrated Marine Assessment, completed in 2015 under the United Nations Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socio-Economic Aspects, provides a stark picture of the state of our oceans. Anthropogenic pressures on marine ecosystems, including ocean acidification and climate change, are challenging the resilience of the oceans and their resources, as well as their continued ability to provide important ecosystems goods and services.