8 June World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day, which had been unofficially celebrated every June 8 since its original proposal in 1992 by Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008[2] Since then it has been coordinated internationally by The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network with greater success and global participation each year.

Purpose

World Oceans Day is an opportunity every year to honor the world's ocean, celebrate the products the ocean provides, such as seafood, as well as marine life itself for aquariums, pets, and also a time to appreciate its own intrinsic value. The ocean also provides sea-lanes for international trade. Global pollution and over-consumption of fish have resulted in drastically dwindling population of the majority of species.

The Ocean Project, working in partnership with the World Ocean Network, has been promoting WOD since 2003 with its network of over 1,200 organizations and others throughout the world. These groups have been working to build greater awareness of the crucial role of the ocean in our lives and the important ways people can help. World Oceans Day provides an opportunity to get directly involved in protecting our future, through a new mindset and personal and community action and involvement – beach cleanups, educational programs, art contests, film festivals, sustainable seafood events, and other planned activities help to raise consciousness of how our lives depend on the oceans.

World Oceans Day 2011

The Ocean Project recently launched a new site for WOD 2011.

The World Oceans Day 2011 & 2012 theme is Youth: the Next Wave for Change. World Ocean Day - The Ocean Project

The aim is to challenge participants to view ocean protection as a way of life, with a special emphasis around World Oceans Day each year.

This focus on youth is based on market research by The Ocean Project and others which clearly shows that youth are the most promising members of the public to reach out to if you want to effect lasting change.

Young people are the most knowledgeable and motivated segment of the population when it comes to the environment and its protection. Youth generally have the free time, familiarity with current issues, and the motivation to go out of their way to take environmental actions. Furthermore, the research shows that parents are increasingly looking to their tween and teenage (i.e. ages 12-17) children for information and advice on these issues.

We hope that event organizers will make a concerted effort to reach out to and collaborate with young people, helping inspire them to care for our world’s ocean, now and throughout their lives.

World Oceans Day 2010

In partnership with Dr. Seuss and the Census of Marine Life, World Oceans Day 2010's theme of "Oceans of Life: Pick your favorite * Protect your favorite" sparked the biggest and most exciting worldwide participation to date. This year marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Seuss's classic book, One Fish, Two fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, as well as the Census of Marine Life's celebration of a decade of discovery with the release of their 10-year report documenting biodiversity in the world's ocean. 2010 also marked the International Year of Biodiversity.

The Ocean Project and World Ocean Network recorded over 300 events for WOD 2010, a 26% increase over 2009. Participation in the US increased by 32% (with participation in 37 states, as compared to 25 states last year), but this year several additional countries (a total of 45 globally) held events, including Bangladesh, Belgium, French Polynesia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Malta, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Portugal.

First UN-recognized World Oceans Day

On the first World Oceans Day the Secretary-General of the United Nations gave the following message:

The first observance of World Oceans Day allows us to highlight the many ways in which oceans contribute to society. It is also an opportunity to recognize the considerable challenges we face in maintaining their capacity to regulate the global climate, supply essential ecosystem services and provide sustainable livelihoods and safe recreation.

Indeed, human activities are taking a terrible toll on the world’s oceans and seas. Vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as corals, and important fisheries are being damaged by over-exploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, destructive fishing practices, invasive alien species and marine pollution, especially from land-based sources. Increased sea temperatures, sea-level rise and ocean acidification caused by climate change pose a further threat to marine life, coastal and island communities and national economies.

Oceans are also affected by criminal activity. Piracy and armed robbery against ships threaten the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping, which transports 90 per cent of the world’s goods. Smuggling of illegal drugs and the trafficking of persons by sea are further examples of how criminal activities threaten lives and the peace and security of the oceans.

Several international instruments drawn up under the auspices of the United Nations address these numerous challenges. At their centre lies the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It provides the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out, and is the basis for international cooperation at all levels. In addition to aiming at universal participation, the world must do more to implement this Convention and to uphold the rule of law on the seas and oceans.

The theme of World Oceans Day, “Our oceans, our responsibility”, emphasizes our individual and collective duty to protect the marine environment and carefully manage its resources. Safe, healthy and productive seas and oceans are integral to human well-being, economic security and sustainable development.

World Ocean Network to coordinate activities worldwide under the theme “Youth: the Next Wave for Change” with a special focus on getting the young people in our communities inspired to conserve our world’s oceans.

The Ocean Project/World Ocean Network international partner network theme

* 2010: Oceans of Life / Pick your favorite * Protect your favorite
* 2009: One Climate, One Ocean, One Future

UN Theme

* 2011: Our oceans: greening or future
* 2010: Our oceans: opportunities and challenges
* 2009: Our Oceans, Our Responsibility

See Also: Oceanic Climate