Description
The High Seas by Olive Heffernan is a compelling and meticulously researched exploration of the world’s oceans beyond national jurisdiction. Covering seventy per cent of the planet’s surface, these waters are both ecologically rich and fiercely contested. Heffernan takes readers on a journey to reveal the scale of exploitation in the high seas, from destructive fishing practices to the emerging threats of deep-sea mining. Along the way, she scrutinises the role of tech-driven climate interventions, exposing the gap between ambition and environmental responsibility.
Through vivid reporting and expert analysis, Heffernan demonstrates how economic interests, lax enforcement, and global apathy have left the high seas vulnerable. The book examines not only the threats to marine biodiversity but also the urgent need for international cooperation to protect these last vestiges of wilderness. Her writing combines investigative rigour with an urgent call to action, making the complex politics and environmental stakes of the high seas accessible and compelling.
A must-read for anyone concerned about environmental conservation, ocean policy, or the future of global ecosystems, The High Seas illuminates the critical battle to safeguard the planet’s largest and wildest commons.
