The ocean is where the crises of our time meet the opportunities of the future. It represents one of our most important concerns – and greatest hope.

It is only by a holistic approach, understanding the connections and the whole, over time and across issues, that we can truly comprehend the ocean’s significance for our history, the present day and the future. This defines the focus and ambition of the book. It is a book about the ocean as a condition, a cause of and a force of civilisation, about how it has formed our world and will shape our destiny.

Adding a personal flavour to the discussion, Sturla Henriksen blends the top-down perspective of his professional maritime career, the bottom-up view of a passionate scuba diver, and his reflections as a concerned citizen and father.