Toxic tides of change: Ocean pollution as a cultural tipping point

This paper offers a new perspective on the valuation of the impacts of industrial ocean pollution. Rising levels of industrial pollutants have a profound impact on marine resource-dependent peoples, particularly those dependent on seafood consumption. We argue that current regulation of these pollutants is both insufficient and inequitable, as it only accounts for impacts on physical health while ignoring cultural implications. This paper introduces the "cultural tipping point" as a new framework that integrates the impacts of ocean pollution on peoples' physical and cultural health and well-being. Drawing on anthropology, marine sciences, public health, and critical Indigenous studies, the cultural tipping point synthesizes diverse concepts of "cultural keystone species," food sovereignty, and industrial pollution. Ultimately, our goal is to make the cultural impacts of ocean pollution legible within global governance networks, and to advocate for greater allocation of societal resources to address this issue.