World Ocean Day: UN chief calls for protection of oceans

The United Nations Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, has called for protection of oceans and using their gifts peacefully, equitably and sustainably for generations to come.

Specifically, he said healthy oceans are essential for a healthy planet and a healthy future for all in his message for today’s celebration of World Ocean Day.

“Healthy oceans are critical to sustaining life on Earth. They regulate the climate and provide a wide range of services, including natural resources, nutritious food and jobs that benefit billions of people.

“In order to protect the health of our oceans, it is crucial for us to know their current state, and understand the impact that human activities and climate change are having on them.  This past December, the General Assembly welcomed the First Global Integrated Marine Assessment, a truly global scientific evaluation of the state of the world’s oceans. We now know that although the oceans are seemingly endless, their capacity to withstand human activities is limited, particularly as they also cope with the threats posed by climate change. Urgent action on a global scale is needed to alleviate the world’s oceans from the many pressures they face, and to protect them from future dangers that may tip them beyond the limits of their carrying capacity”, he said.

The UN chief said last year, in adopting the landmark 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Member States underscored that healthy and productive oceans will play a crucial role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Healthy oceans will also play an essential role in climate change adaptation and mitigation, as we strive to implement the Paris Agreement.

“On this World Oceans Day, let us all commit to protecting our oceans and using their gifts peacefully, equitably and sustainably for generations to come. Healthy oceans are essential for a healthy planet and a healthy future for all”, he added.

By its resolution 63/111 of 5 December 2008, the UN General Assembly designated 8 June as World Oceans Day.

The concept of a ‘World Oceans Day’ was first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro as a way to celebrate our world’s shared ocean and our personal connection to the sea, as well as to raise awareness about the crucial role the ocean plays in our lives and the important ways people can help protect it.

To raise awareness about the role the United Nations and international law can play in the sustainable development and use of the oceans and their living and non-living resources, the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea is actively coordinating different activities of the World Oceans Day.

The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. This year’s tagline for World Oceans Day (8 June) “Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet”, aptly encapsulates the importance of oceans and seas in our ecosystem, and represents an opportunity to raise awareness.