The world faces well-known milestones for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the coming decades to reduce the dangers of climate change. Now an international consortium is doing the same to demand action against threats to the Pacific Ocean that they say endangers environmental and human well-being in countries rich and poor.

This month, the Center for Ocean Solutions and Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station released the a scientific consensus that spells out the grim consequences of inaction in reversing the threats of overfishing, pollution and habitat destruction, while providing a road map to recovery.

The report calls for measurable improvements to the Pacific Ocean's health by 2020, and it fulfills a key objective set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's "Pacific Ocean 2020 Challenge." The United Nation's-affiliated group, founded in 1948 and representing 1,000 organizations worldwide, set as its first priority the release of a scientific consensus on threats to the ocean, which covers one-third of the Earth's surface.

"This is the first time where there have been scientists and experts around the world saying, 'These are threats, these are the solutions. Let's take some action,'" said Tegan Hoffmann, an Oakland-based consultant. She worked with Center for Ocean Solutions in corralling the 400 signatures from scientists and experts on the consensus, called the "Pacific Ocean Synthesis."