• Oil and gas blocks cover over 2.7 million km² in the case study frontier regions -  an area about the size of Argentina.
• Protected Area Threats: 100,000 km² of oil and gas block overlap; 19% of  coastal and Marine Protected Areas are at risk across the frontier regions
• Important Marine Mammal Areas and KBA Threats: 70,000 km², or 11%, of Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) and 52,000 km², or 14%, of marine and coastal Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are overlapping with oil and gas blocks
• Coral Reef, Sea Grass, Mangrove Threats: Approximately 22,800 km², or 15%, of coral reefs; 7,900 km², or 63%, of seagrass meadows; and 70,000 km², or 15%, of mangroves, in the frontier case studies are overlapped by oil and gas blocks, placing critical marine habitats at significant risk. These regions are vital for the conservation of marine mammals and ecosystems that provide habitat for, feeding, breeding, and migration activities .
• LNG expansion threats: There are 13 Important Marine Mammal Areas with 20 unique species at risk near LNG terminal offshore infrastructure across the LNG case study areas.

A Global Offshore Push: New Frontiers, New Threats to Biodiversity and Climate

The global expansion of offshore and coastal oil and gas and LNG poses a significant threat to oceans, coastlines, marine ecosystems, the communities that depend on them, and climate stability. Despite the urgent call to meet global climate goals, companies and governments worldwide are investing trillions of dollars in new fossil fuel developments, in contradiction of their green commitments and climate mandates.

The fossil fuel industry is betting big on offshore activities. Last year, companies announced the discovery of at least 8 billion barrels of oil equivalent in new offshore oil and gas fields. In 2024, all twelve projects that reached the Final Investment Decision – the last step before construction of new infrastructure – were offshore.

In parallel, countries and companies are also investing heavily in LNG infrastructure to process and ship gas from these new developments or from older fields. The total economic investment in proposed and under-construction LNG projects amounts to roughly $1 trillion. A significant portion of LNG import and export projects are planned to be coastal and offshore.

The risks posed by this offshore expansion to ocean ecosystems and global climate goals are manifold. Every stage of the offshore project lifecycle, from exploration to exportation, threatens marine biodiversity. The escalation of emissions, coupled with the degradation of ocean environments, not only jeopardize local ecosystems but also undermine broader climate mitigation initiatives.

Preserving ocean and coastal ecosystems, such as seagrass meadows and mangroves, is critical to maintaining marine biodiversity and human livelihoods. Fishing, tourism and other sources of income for millions of people depend on a healthy ocean. The expansion of offshore and coastal oil and gas brings with it ports, pipelines, processing facilities, and other infrastructure that can permanently alter fragile coastal environments.

Marine environments also play an important role in protecting human populations against climate change and its impacts. Seagrasses, for example, excel at carbon sequestration – the process by which plants and other organisms remove and store carbon dioxide. While seagrass fields occupy only 0.2% of the seafloor, they are responsible for 10% of all the carbon that is stored by the oceans. Mangroves, on the other hand, are natural defenses against coastal erosion, storm surges and floods – processes that are becoming more destructive with climate change.

Addressing Offshore Oil and Gas: Solutions and Shifts

The extraction and combustion of fossil fuels are major drivers of the triple planetary crisis — climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Offshore oil and gas operations contribute significantly to these challenges, posing direct threats to marine ecosystems and nearby communities through oil spills, habitat disruption, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Despite growing awareness of these environmental and social impacts, offshore fossil fuel activities continue to expand—largely driven by economic interests and gaps in regulation. This expansion runs counter to scientific evidence on the need to rapidly phase out fossil fuels and scale up climate action.