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The Indian Ocean, the world’s third-largest ocean, stretches across more than 70 million square kilometers and borders some of the most densely populated and climate-vulnerable nations on Earth. It is a critical lifeline for biodiversity, climate regulation, and regional economies — supporting rich marine ecosystems, global trade routes, and the livelihoods of over two billion people. Yet the ocean is under growing threat from climate change, overfishing, pollution, and extractive industries.
While governments and NGOs have launched various regional efforts to respond, the role of Green parties regarding protection and conservation of the Indian ocean is limited and underdeveloped.
Climate Drivers and Ecological Consequences
Overview of climate drivers of the Indian Ocean, their impacts and consequences:
Rising Temperatures
La Océan Indien is currently warming faster than any other tropical ocean. Between 1951 and 2015, its surface temperature rose by approximately 1°C, surpassing the global ocean average increase. Projections indicate that, without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the Indian Ocean could warm by 1.7 to 3.8°C this century.
This warming has multiple consequences:
- Altered monsoon patterns, impacting rainfall and agriculture in surrounding countries.
- Coral bleaching and loss of reef systems, particularly across East Africa, the Maldives and Australia’s northwest coast.
- More intense tropical cyclones, especially in the Arabian Sea, leading to greater coastal damage and flooding.
- Rising sea levels, exacerbating erosion and saltwater intrusion in low lying island nations and deltas such as Bangladesh and the Maldives (IPCC, 2021).
- Increased stratification of the ocean, which limits vertical mixing and reduces nutrient availability, thereby lowering productivity at the base of the food chain.
These impacts not only threaten marine biodiversity, but also undermine food security, public health, and economic stability for coastal populations.
Marine Heatwaves and the Indian Ocean Dipole
The Indian Ocean is facing a rapid rise in marine heatwaves (MHWs) — extreme ocean temperature events that last days to months, often spanning thousands of kilometers and reaching deep into the water column. As global warming accelerates, MHWs in the Indian Ocean are becoming more frequent, intense, and long-lasting. Some areas may soon experience near-continuous heatwave conditions. These heat waves can devastate marine life, reduce phytoplankton productivity, and threaten fisheries.
These trends are shaped by natural climate variability, such as the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The IOD is a key driver of ocean temperatures in the Indian Ocean.
UN positive IOD leads to warmer waters in the west and cooler waters in the east — often resulting in droughts in Indonesia and Australia, and heavy rains and floods in East Africa. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme positive IOD events, with serious consequences for weather, marine ecosystems, and food security. These shifts make the Indian Ocean more prone to compound climate extremes, including the overlap of MHWs and low productivity events, further stressing already vulnerable ecosystems and coastal livelihoods.
Fisheries and Food Security
Climate change is already disrupting marine ecosystems across the Indian Ocean, with serious consequences for fisheries — a key source of food and income for millions in the region. Tuna species, in particular, are highly affected, with population declines of up to 90% this century. Other important species, like hilsa, have already declined in places like Bangladesh and Myanmar due to changing river and ocean conditions.
Combined with overfishing and weak cross border regulation, these climate impacts threaten the food security of millions. Many Indian Ocean fisheries remain “open access” and poorly managed. Coordinated, science and ecosystem based management is essential otherwise they risk long term collapse.
The Indian Ocean also has the highest level of gillnet fishing of any ocean basin, posing a severe threat to marine megafauna such as dolphins, whales, turtles, and sharks. These nets are often used with limited monitoring or regulation, increasing bycatch and ecosystem harm. After a decade of advocacy, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission recently adopted a new measure to reduce cetacean bycatch (dolphins, whales etc being accidentally caught) in tuna fisheries. This includes banning deliberate net setting around marine mammals and mandating reporting of entanglements—a critical step forward in marine protection, though effective enforcement remains a challenge.
Green Party Engagement
Relevance of Australian Greens Fisheries Policy to the Indian Ocean
Australia’s western and northern coasts directly border the Indian Ocean, making the country’s fisheries management practices a critical part of Indian Ocean stewardship. The Australian Greens’ commitment to more sustainable, transparent, and community-focused fisheries management would help protect marine biodiversity and fish stocks in this region, especially as climate change accelerates marine heatwaves, reduces productivity, and shifts fish distributions.
Key elements that would benefit the Indian Ocean:
- $129 million investment to protect marine ecosystems and ensure sustainable fish stocks.
- Support for small-scale and First Nations fishers, with access to quotas/equipment
- Integration of ecological science into management plans and catch limits to adapt to climate-driven changes in fish behaviour and population dynamics.
- Increased transparency, economic tracking, and public reporting.
- Review of outdated fisheries legislation to limit foreign interests and modernise regulations.
By committing to sustainable practices in its Indian Ocean waters, Australia can set a regional standard and collaborate with neighbouring countries on shared species, climate resilience, and marine conservation.
Indian Ocean Territories Marine Parks
As of February 2025, the Australian Government has released the first ever management plans to secure the protection of the Indian Ocean Territories Marine Parks around Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, covering 744,070 km². These plans would protect coral reefs, over 680 fish species, and marine megafauna like whale sharks and turtles.
The new management plans are shaped by scientific research and local input. They focus on climate adaptation, biodiversity monitoring, and community stewardship. Zoning balances conservation with sustainable small-scale fishing, offering a strong model for regional ocean governance.
Next Steps and Broader Action
Currently, no other Green parties in Indian Ocean countries — such as in India, Kenya, or the island nations — have established targeted Indian Ocean conservation strategies. Their platforms often mention climate and biodiversity, but Indian marine policy remains peripheral.This presents a major opportunity for Green parties to lead, particularly by aligning with existing efforts like the Nairobi Convention et le Great Blue Wall. Strengthening political will can amplify ongoing NGO and intergovernmental conservation work for the Indian Ocean