Mapping Hope: Visualising the Future of Ocean Protection

Mission Blue® is using Esri’s ArcGIS platform to make the global ocean conservation landscape easier to see and understand. A new map shows where Mission Blue Hope Spots® overlap with marine protected areas around the world, offering a clear snapshot of how these places of ecological, cultural, and conservation significance align with existing protections.

Hope Spots are special places in the ocean that are critical to the health of our blue planet. They may be areas of extraordinary biodiversity, essential habitat, migration corridors, carbon-rich ecosystems, cultural significance, or places where local leadership is driving meaningful conservation action. Together, they form a global network of hope, science, and action.

By layering Hope Spot boundaries with global marine protected area data, these maps help reveal where protection is already in place, where it may need to be strengthened, and where future conservation opportunities are emerging.

The maps also show the level of protection within each marine protected area, using data from the Marine Protection Atlas. This distinction is essential because not all protected areas offer the same benefits to marine life. Some prohibit extractive and destructive activities, while others allow varying levels of fishing, development, or industrial use.

This map displays the overlap between Mission Blue Hope Spots and marine protected areas (MPAs) across the globe, while indicating the level of protection within each MPA as classified by the MPA Atlas. This illustrates how Hope Spots correspond with existing ocean conservation measures worldwide. UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) [via MPAtlas, MM-YYYY], Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN. Current dataset available at: www.protectedplanet.net.

The maps also help demonstrate the power of the Esri ArcGIS platform for ocean conservation. Geospatial technology allows Mission Blue to connect global datasets with local stories, turning information into insight and insight into action. A map can show where a Hope Spot overlaps with a fully protected marine reserve, where protection is only partial, or where a biologically important area still lacks formal safeguards.

That information matters. Hope Spots are not simply places on a map. They are living ecosystems supported by Hope Spot Champions, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, policymakers, and partner organisations working to protect what they love. Some Hope Spots are already recognised as marine protected areas. Others are helping build the visibility, public support, and political will needed to secure future protection.

As the world works toward protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030, understanding where protection exists, how strong it is, and where gaps remain is essential. By visualising Hope Spots alongside marine protected areas, Mission Blue is using the Esri platform to turn complex conservation data into a clear call to action: strengthen stewardship, support local Champions, and ensure protected areas deliver real benefits for marine life and people.