International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day is annually observed across the world on the 3rd Saturday of September to raise awareness of the problem of marine litter. This day aims to encourage people to clean up the coastal line and raise awareness about the significance of preserving the oceans and waterways.
- It is a global event that promotes local clean-up actions on beaches, coastal areas, rivers, lakes, and other watercourses.
International Coastal Clean-up Day 2023 was observed on 16th September 2023.
- ICC Day 2022 was observed on 17th September 2022.
- ICC Day 2024 will be observed on 21st September 2024.
ICC Day 2023 is observed under the theme “#SeatheChange” focusing on plastic pollution.
Background:
i.International Coastal Cleanup movement was first organised by the Ocean Conservancy, an organization to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges.
ii.The first-ever International Coastal Clean-up event was hosted by Linda Maraniss and Kathy O’Hara, the members of Ocean Conservancy on the west coast of Washington State, the United States of America(USA) in 1986.
iii.International Coastal Clean-up Day was started as part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) initiative to sensitize the coastal populace on the conservation of oceans and prevent dumping of waste into oceans.
- The event has grown into the world’s largest one-day volunteer event.
Significance:
i.ICC Day is an international day of action to protect our oceans, watersheds, and wildlife from trash and debris.
ii.Marine debris is one of the biggest threats to the health of our ocean and sea life, and scientists estimate that plastic pollution accounts for up to 80% of marine litter.
iii.Marine debris has caused catastrophic effects on marine flora and fauna affecting safe habitats for marine animals.
- According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), millions of seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals face death each year due to plastic entanglement in the ocean.
2023 Events:
i.To commemorate the Ocean Conservancy’s 38th annual International Coastal Cleanup, Ocean Conservancy, Volunteercleanup.org, organized an annual country-wide International Coastal Cleanup in Miami-Dade, at Margaret Pace Park in Florida (USA), on 16 September 2023 along with Miami Waterkeeper.
ii.Englewood Community Coalition, Inc. is an organisation in the United States of America (USA) to provide a healthy, safe, and drug-free community, organised a clean-up event on 16th September 2023, in the Bay Heights Park & Boat Ramp in Florida, USA
iii.In honour of International Coastal Cleanup, Heal the Bay, an environmental nonprofit organisation dedicated to making the coastal waters and watersheds of Greater Los Angeles (USA) safe, healthy, and clean, hosted cleanups across Los Angeles County, USA on World Cleanup Day or ICC Day.
- Heal the Bay, also organised another coastal clean-up event on 23 September 2023 with the location unannounced.
Events in India:
i.On September 16, 2023, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Region East, headquartered in Chennai (Tamil Nadu), hosted the ICC Day 2023 at two iconic beaches: Marina and Elliot’s Beach (Besant Nagar).
ii.The event witnessed the participation of a diverse group including ICG personnel, government agencies, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), and college students.
About Ocean Conservancy:
Founded as Delta Organisation, the name was changed in 1975 to the Center for Environmental Education (CEE). In 1989, CEE became the Center for Marine Conservation. In 2001, officially renamed The Ocean Conservancy (Legally dropped ‘The’ later)
Chief Executive Officer– Janis Searles Jones
Headquarters– Washington, D.C., USA
Founded in– 1972
