The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital conduits for trade and transportation.
Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future. However, at the current time, there is a continuous deterioration of coastal waters owing to pollution and ocean acidification, which has an adversarial effect on the functioning of ecosystems and biodiversity. This is also negatively impacting small scale fisheries.
For all these reasons, it was necessary to create awareness through an Observance. That is why, on the 5th December 2008, the UN General Assembly designated 8 June as World Oceans Day.
The theme of UN World Oceans Day 2020 is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean.” Innovation—relating to the introduction of new methods, ideas, or products—is a dynamic term, and one that is fundamentally filled with hope. The purpose of the Day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans. In the end, it is a day to celebrate together the beauty, the wealth and the promise of the ocean.
Oceans edition!
Oceans are:
- The lungs of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we breathe.
- A major source of food and medicine and a critical part of the biosphere.
- The world’s largest source of protein, with more than 3 billion people depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein.
- A source of livelihood for over three billion people that depend on marine and coastal biodiversity.
- Absorbers of about 30% of carbon dioxide produced by humans thus buffering the impacts of global warming.
- About 70% of the earths surface.
- Largely unexplored; only about 5% of oceans have been explored by humans.
- Home to more historic artefacts than all the museums in the world!
Take our World Oceans Day 2020 Quiz! Click on the link below:
No comments:
Post a Comment