The United Nations(UN)’s World Oceans Day is annually observed across the globe on 8th June to create awareness about the importance of the Oceans as the major source of food and medicine and a critical part of the biosphere. The day also highlights the various measures taken toward the protection of the oceans.
The World Ocean Network has been instrumental in building support for ocean awareness events on World Oceans Day.
- World Ocean Network is sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
The theme of World Oceans Day 2022 is “Revitalization: collective action for the ocean”.
Note: The United Nations will host the first hybrid celebration of the annual event on 8 June 2022.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/63/111 on 5th December 2008 and proclaimed the 8th June of every year, starting from 2009, as World Oceans Day.
ii.The first-ever World Oceans Day was observed on 8th June 2009.
iii.The concept of a ‘World Oceans Day’ was first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit 1992, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a parallel event at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).
Significance:
The year 2022 also marks the celebration of the UN Ocean Conference and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021 – 2030.
The Ocean Conference 2022, Lisbon, Portugal:
i.The Ocean Conference 2022, which is to be held in Lisbon, Portugal from 27th June to 1st July 2022, aims to address many of the deep-rooted problems of our societies laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic and which will require major structural transformations and common shared solutions that are anchored in the SDGs
ii.The Ocean Conference 2022 is co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal.
iii.The conference originally scheduled for June 2020 was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021 – 2030
i.The UNGA proclaimed the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to provide a common framework to ensure that ocean science can fully support countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
ii.UNESCO’s IOC will coordinate the preparatory process of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
Oceans & SDGs:
i.SDG Goal 14: Life below water and why it matters, seeks to conserve and use the oceans, seas and marine resources in a sustainable manner.
ii.The goal also aims to prevent and reduce marine pollution of all kinds, minimise and address the effects of ocean acidification and regulate fisheries.
Importance of Ocean:
i.The ocean, which covers more than 70% of the earth’s surface the source of life which supports the sustenance of humanity and every other organism on earth.
ii.It also produces around 50% of the planet’s oxygen.
iii.It is one the major part of the economy with an estimated 40 million people being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.