Human pressures on the ocean are thought to be increasing globally, yet we know little about
their patterns of cumulative change, which pressures are most responsible for change, and
which places are experiencing the greatest increases. Managers and policymakers require
such information to make strategic decisions and monitor progress towards management
objectives. Here we calculate and map recent change over 5 years in cumulative impacts to
marine ecosystems globally from fishing, climate change, and ocean- and land-based
stressors. Nearly 66% of the ocean and 77% of national jurisdictions show increased human
impact, driven mostly by climate change pressures. Five percent of the ocean is heavily
impacted with increasing pressures, requiring management attention. Ten percent has very
low impact with decreasing pressures. Our results provide large-scale guidance about where
to prioritize management efforts and affirm the importance of addressing climate change to
maintain and improve the condition of marine ecosystems.