Ever since I was young, Ala Moana Beach Park has been my go-to place for soaking up some sun. Nothing beats a dip in the water followed by a stroll around Magic Island. Who doesn’t enjoy taking in the sights of surfers and sailboats against the backdrop of Diamond Head?

That said, sometimes, with so much happening above the surface, it becomes easy to forget the ocean habitats below the surf. More than ever, we can’t do that because with climate change poised to permanently alter ocean habitats and marine species we love, we have little time to act.

Thankfully, when it comes to ocean protection, Hawaii is a national leader. Our state has established one of the country’s largest ocean sanctuaries in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is protected from destructive human activity. This is essential, as a recent report shows that these habitat protections help stave off some of the impacts of climate change. But to turn the tide against global warming, we can’t act alone.

That’s why I was excited to see the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act, recently introduced in the U.S. House. This bill proposes a bold agenda that will reorient the U.S.’s relationship to our oceans, recognizing its cultural and life-sustaining significance.

This bill could be a game changer because ocean life has already felt the impact of warming waters. Scientists estimate that, over the past 50 years, 90% of warming on our planet has occurred in the ocean. This extra heat has already changed our most iconic saltwater ecosystems.

Just last year, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources reported widespread coral bleaching across the islands, with the most affected areas having half of live corals bleached. And with these changes here and around the globe comes the risk of the extinction of whales, fish and sharks, which have swum in our seas for millions of years.

However, in places where we’ve protected the marine world from such destructive human activity as commercial fishing and oil drilling, ocean life is doing better.

For example, a recent study on the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument showed that ocean habitat conservation in the area greatly benefitted endangered and vulnerable species.

These safeguards are effective because they allow ocean animals to grow and interact naturally, allowing their populations to recover and adapt to new circumstances in our changing climate. This, in turn, leads to better ocean health.

The Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act would encourage other states to follow our example and commit the U.S. to protecting 30% of our oceans by 2030 from these types of destructive human activities. Simply put, the bill would put us on a path to a more sustainable ocean.

Beyond that, this type of comprehensive effort is a win-win because it would not only help our oceans but it would also play a key role in fighting climate change. Protecting or restoring kelp, seagrass or mangroves keeps carbon out of the atmosphere. Pound for pound, these “blue carbon” ecosystems are more effective at trapping carbon than forests on land and are essential if we want to prevent the worst effects of global warming.

All this means this bill will both protect life under the water’s surface and serve as a vital tool for healing our world on land. I am glad to see U.S. Rep. Ed Case signed on as an original co-sponsor and hope that the rest of the Hawaii delegation can come together in support of these bold, necessary ideas so we can create a better future for all who share our planet.