WORLD OCEAN DAY 2023

Planet Ocean: Tides Are Changing

The world’s oceans comprise 70% of the earth, making it an integral part of our lives. On the 8th of June every year, we celebrate World Ocean Day, and work to bring awareness to protecting it.

This year, volunteers are working towards protecting at least 30% of our lands, waters, and ocean by 2030 – urging national leaders to make lasting commitments to changing the way we treat the ocean as only 8% of our waters are protected.

The UN work in partnership with youth leaders, zoos, aquariums, museums, and other youth-focused organisations, as well as a huge range of diverse organisations and businesses to effectively engage the public, inform policymakers, and unite the world to protect and restore our shared ocean and create a stable climate.

Learn more about the efforts of World Ocean Day here, or if you want to join a conservation event in your city, take a look at the Events page.

Problems being Faced

With a huge amount of water comes a huge amount of problems. We’ve compiled some of the problems the ocean is facing to bring to light the need for change.

Overfishing & Destructive Fishing

Overfishing does two things; it threatens food security for hundreds of millions of people and destroys ocean ecosystems worldwide. Due to economic reasons, there are too many fishing boats in the ocean, with too few fish. Through destructive fishing practices, at least two-thirds of the large fish in the ocean have been removed.

Human Rights on Land & Sea

Changing how we treat our oceans isn’t just about the creatures that live in them, it’s about the people who depend on them. Globally, more than three billion people rely on our oceans and coastal ecosystems for their livelihood. Fishermen are being unfairly treated by greedy fishing companies that deny them a living wage while being forced to overwork themselves.

Commercial Whaling

Whaling has been such a rampant practice for so long that whale species are being driven to the brink of extinction. Many whale species are down to mere hundreds due to commercial whaling. West Pacific grey whale populations are the most endangered of the world’s great whales, hovering on the edge of extinction with only slightly more than 100 remaining.

Plastic Pollution

Visible from space, the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” is a Texas-sized amalgamation of the world’s plastic. Plastic that won’t be decomposing anytime soon, or ever. While the patch has garnered attention, plastic still looms in the ocean, polluting ecosystems and destroying species.

Ocean Dead Zones

Dead zones are sections of the ocean that don’t support life due to a lack of oxygen. Global warming is a prime suspect for what’s behind the shifts in ocean behaviour that cause dead zones. The number of dead zones is growing at an alarming rate, with over 500 known to exist, and the number is expected to grow.

Solutions

Change starts with small changes in our day-to-day lives. We’ve collected some helpful tips to implement into your life. These tips can be downloaded here.