Global Ocean Pollution Index

The world's oceans
are running out of time

35 water bodies. 12 pollution factors. One index that shows how polluted they are today — and where they're headed by 2100.

Explore the map → How it works
35
Water bodies
16K+
Measurements
12
Pollution factors
2100
Forecast horizon
↓scroll
Key Findings

What the data reveals

A few of the most striking results from the index — explore the full dashboard to see all 35 regions.

🌏
North Pacific tops the index
It records the lowest mean ocean pH of any basin (8.024), 118 million coastal residents, and by far the highest concentration of recorded oil spill incidents — pushing it into High territory.
Score: 52.2 / 100
🌊
Indian Ocean close behind
208 million people live within 10km of its shores — the heaviest human pressure of any ocean — combined with the highest microplastic concentrations measured in this study.
Score: 47.4 / 100
🏞️
The Great Lakes rival oceans
Lake-wide microplastic densities reach into the hundreds of thousands of particles per km² — pushing the Great Lakes above most ocean basins on the index.
Score: 40.7 / 100
🐟
South China Sea accelerating
A mean of 1,198 microplastic items per m³ in the central basin, fed by major river input from the Mekong and Pearl Rivers, makes this one of the most plastic-dense seas measured.
Score: 39.3 / 100
🧊
Arctic still low — for now
The Arctic scores low today, but it's warming faster than any region on the index — roughly 0.02°C per year under the IPCC mid-range scenario. A future hotspot in the making.
Score: 10.4 / 100
📉
Some regions improve
The Mediterranean is one of the few water bodies projected to improve — a declining measured plastic trend and shrinking coastal population pull its 2100 forecast downward, not up.
Improving by 2100
The Dashboard
🌊
🌊
🌊
🌊
🌊
🌊
🌊
🌊
LEAGUE TABLE — 2026 · 2050 · 2100
Interactive world map · Policy scenario slider · Click any region

An interactive window into ocean health

The dashboard puts every data point on a dark-mode world map. Toggle between 2026, 2050, and 2100 — then drag the policy scenario slider to see how the future changes depending on how much action the world takes.

  • Colour-coded circles by pollution severity
  • 2026 / 2050 / 2100 year toggle
  • Policy scenario slider — worse, now, or better
  • Click any region for all 12 pollution factors
  • League table with all 35 regions ranked
Open dashboard →
North Pacific Forecast

Where is it headed?

Each region is forecast using its own real growth rate — blending measured plastic trends, UN population projections, and IPCC ocean warming. Here's the North Pacific, the highest-scoring basin today.

2026
52.2
High
2030
57.9
High
2050
96.7
Critical
2100
349
Critical ×5

See forecasts for all 35 regions on the dashboard →