THE INTEREST IN THE FUTURE IS BORN TODAY
 1. Basic resources of the Ocean
2. Mineral and chemical resources
3. Biological resources
4. Power resources
5. Processing firms
6. Industrial waste products
As we stand on the threshold of the 21st century, we cannot still think of the Ocean as an inexhaustible pantry, as it was considered to be only 2-3 decades ago. With the greatly expanding numbers of people on the Earth and development of technology, the effect of humans on the Ocean has become enormous. In the history of Mankind, never before has there been a time when the search for an effective strategy of interaction with the Ocean has become one of the primary problems. A vital problem is preventing pollution of the Ocean by petroleum, nuclear, and industrial wastes, which severely impact and damage the integrity of the Ocean. The extraction of mineral resources has become an enormous industry, and that is also drastically reflected in the nature of the Ocean.

Experts connect the future of Mankind with an even greater involvement with Ocean resources in the scheme of production for Humanity. Mineral and biological resources, obtaining fresh water, energy, medicines and development of tourism is a short and very incomplete list of the directions in which Man has already taken, and will continue to travel in his quest to use the resources of the Ocean. The  urgency of the problem of returning the Ocean to its primordial cleanliness and the transition from the job of hunting for answers to adjusting our thoughts to managing the whole complex of Ocean facilities from this time, is obvious. New technologies and industries, which have just now been realised or can be created in near future, form the basis for a radical change of the ways we can develop and renew the resources of the seas. When commercial activities involving the Ocean can completely close the cycle and ensure complete use of the extracted resources without harming Nature, we will have come to the point where we can succeed in restoring the Ocean to its former state.

Over the last several decades, the World Ocean has more and more become the most important factor in Global policy. The arsenals of destruction located on and beneath the surface of the seas and oceans is large. Conflicts and confrontations between military units of warring nations can result in unpredictable consequences. Scientists from many countries conducted a series of calculations and research to try to determine the ecological consequences of nuclear war. The results derived from these calculations indicate that the effect will be a change in World climate caused by the lowering of Global temperature because of the contamination of the atmosphere by smoke and fire. The scientists have concluded that the consequences of nuclear war for the climate and ecology of the Earth would be disastrous and irreversible. Thus, the solution to many of our ecological problems is tightly intertwined with the problems of strengthening Word Peace, international security and nuclear disarmament. Reduction of all arms, adopting a good-neighbour policy and continued co-operation between East and West allows us the hope that the nations and the peoples of the Earth will unify their efforts to prevent a Global ecological catastrophe.

The words of Thor Heyerdahl are most pertinent here: "It is necessary for the People to realise the huge responsibility they have to this and future generations. The marine currents are not political boundaries. Nations can divide the land among themselves, but the Ocean, - the Ocean knows no boundaries, and without it, life is not possible, - it will always be a common and indivisible property of Man".
 
 

Information provided by HDNO:  http://www.oceansatlas.com/unatlas/about/ContactInfoForHDNO.html