( CNN ) The world 's seventh-largest economy is heading toward collapse . An economic powerhouse conservatively valued at $ 24 trillion , one that annually churns out the equivalent of $ 2.5 trillion , is under assault . However , I am not referring to one of the G8 economies , but to the `` super economy '' of the ocean . It 's one that for far too long has been ignored and taken for granted -- and it is going downhill fast . The health and wealth of the ocean are assessed in a WWF report released Thursday , Reviving the Ocean Economy . The report is the result of a hard economic analysis performed by The Boston Consulting Group built on a foundation of the latest ocean science provided by the Global Change Institute of the University of Queensland . True , the enormity of the ocean can complicate any single appraisal . But it is still important to try to understand its value if global leaders are ever going to sustain it for future generations . The fact is that the ocean feeds us , employs us , offers protection and plays a direct role in the lives and livelihoods of people throughout the world . The ocean also provides intangible but essential services to humanity , such as climate regulation and oxygen production , that are difficult to put in monetary terms . And while we all may look at the ocean from different perspectives , no one can escape the fact that it is a shared resource that provides for each and every one of us . A figure that may get lost in the headlines generated by our report is perhaps most telling : Seventy percent of the ocean 's overall economic value relies on its continued health . Ocean assets like fisheries , coral reefs , mangroves and seagrasses that produce goods and services rivaling the world 's top 10 economies will lose their value if we continue to over-exploit and outright destroy them . That may seem like a far-off possibility to some , but it is a future foretold by the many details in this report . For example , 90 percent of the world 's fish stocks are either fully exploited or over-exploited . And that is not all . By 2050 -- only a few decades from now -- it is possible that the ocean could lose its coral reefs , which have already been halved in the last few decades . This is n't just a concern for dive enthusiasts , but to the hundreds of millions of people that rely on ocean resources for their daily meals and their weekly paychecks . The ocean is truly too big to fail . The loss of the ocean 's critical habitats and species would have a devastating ripple effect on global food security and economies that no government bailout could salvage . Fortunately , our report identifies actions that would revive the ocean economy , three of which are critical this year . First , the international community must rally around a set of sustainable development goals that clearly reflect the link between the environment -- including the ocean -- and human well-being . Also , negotiators meeting in Paris later this year must agree on an ambitious global climate deal that sets us on the path to avert the worst impacts of climate change . And finally , leaders must commit to conserving increasing amounts of coastal and marine areas over the course of the next 15 years . The economic case for why the ocean is so critical to livelihoods around the world is clear , and we will not be able to plead ignorance if we collectively preside over the collapse of the ocean economy . Reviving the Ocean Economy is dedicated to helping us avoid that outcome , but it will require political vision and courage among policymakers . All this said , and as terrifying as it is that the deterioration of the ocean 's health has been its fastest in millions of years , there is actually some ( potential ) good news : If we act swiftly and with determination , marine resources can recover -- and recover quickly . Many local examples -- from the Mediterranean to the Mozambique Channel , from the Fiji archipelago to the Arctic -- show us that conservation , restoration and sustainable-use approaches mean the ocean , and the people who depend on it , can both prosper . Ultimately , the ocean bridges continents , connects cultures and offers equal opportunity inspiration and we should therefore work together in support of this vital shared resource . But if we are to have any chance of avoiding the point of no return , we must find ways of reaching genuine global commitments on sustainable development and climate . After all , it 's far better to avoid an economic collapse than be forced to scramble to pick up the pieces .
CNN economic powerhouse valued at $ 24 trillion : WWF report . Marco Lambertini : CNN plays direct role in livelihoods across globe .