This report is a synthesis of the findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) on marine and coastal ecosystems, taken from the global and sub-global assessments. This synthesis report sets out to provide answers to a series of questions that all stakeholders not just decision makers may ask : what is at stake, what is the current status of marine and coastal ecosystems, why should we care if we lose marine and coastal ecosystems, and what can be done to ensure that marine and coastal ecosystems and services are conserved.