Phoebe Koundouri Contributes to the UN Third World Ocean Assessment
The Director of Athena’s Sustainable Development Unit serves as Coordinating Author of the chapter on Human Well-being
30-07-2026
The United Nations Third World Ocean Assessment (WOA III) is now available, providing the most comprehensive global scientific assessment of the state of the marine environment and its environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
We are proud to announce that Professor Phoebe Koundouri, Director of the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU.AE4RIA) at Athena Research Center, served as a Coordinating Author of Chapter 3: “Human Well-being”, contributing to one of the UN's flagship scientific assessments supporting evidence-based ocean governance and sustainable development.
WOA III synthesizes the latest scientific knowledge on the multiple pressures affecting the world's oceans, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, habitat degradation, overexploitation of marine resources, and unsustainable development pathways. The report underscores the ocean's fundamental role as the Earth's life-support system, regulating climate, sustaining biodiversity, producing oxygen, and supporting food security, energy, transport, livelihoods, and cultural heritage.
Chapter 3 emphasizes that ocean health is inseparable from human well-being. Healthy marine ecosystems underpin nutrition, employment, public health, recreation, cultural identity, traditional knowledge, community resilience, and both physical and mental well-being. Conversely, the degradation of ocean ecosystems threatens these essential foundations of sustainable and inclusive prosperity.
Discover WOA III