Since 1992, when first proposed by two Canadian organizations, the World Oceans Day is held annually on June 08 each year, internationally, at the behest of the UN. Water covers 75% of the planet’s surface, and much of it is through oceans and seas. This creates our sustenance, our climate and everything else that goes along with it. In the Anthropocene era, as I have written more recently, every aspect of our ecology is impacted by human activity and this is true of our oceans as well. This is why we need to take a step back and observe what we are doing, what we need to do to minimize our adverse impacts and learn to understand how we can continue to protect the oceans, and therefore ourselves and the planet in the long run.
The ocean is fundamental to life on Earth. This is where life originated, how continents were shaped and the ocean still feeds and sustains us, and sustains the geography and ecology that plods life along. Climate change and its consequent pollution are beginning to have detrimental effects on life on the surfaces of oceans and below. Everyone has of course heard of the “Great” Pacific Garbage Patch, the sad irony being that there is nothing great about the swinging pass of polluAdd New User
tants causing death and destruction out in the open oceans.
This year’s UN theme: Awaken New Depths
Never one to shy away from awkward, difficult to read, interpret or understand themes, the UN is claiming we need to awaken new depths of our urgent need to build a better association with the oceans, since so far we have only skimmed the surface. Well, we can give up on this hyperbole and try to look at the obvious.
As with every ecological element, our damages are numerous and our understanding very limited – both of their importance and of the adverseness of our impacts. The oceans are no different. Therefore, yes, we need to dig deeper, act better and try to understand and employ techniques that will save the oceans, life on the oceans and ultimately ourselves.
Urgent Actions:
- We focus a little too much on pollution at times. Other aspects of environmental actions are important. Fishing has to be limited to sustainable levels. The predation on exotic and endangered species, especially by certain nations must be prevented at all costs.
- The free flow of plastics and other pollutants into the oceans must be stopped immediately, and at all costs. International action in this area is urgently needed.
- Better funding must be provided to understand marine life, oceanography and other scientific subjects so we can draw better baselines in our battles to protect our environment.
- As always, communities who depend on the oceans for their everyday lives should be seen as partners and their traditional methods and techniques understood and encouraged so that all our seafaring practices are sustainable in nature.
- Don’t see oceans in isolation. All aspects of ecology are important. We need to start understanding the interconnectedness of life and the mechanisms that sustain life around us so that we can act better and be better.
References:
- The UN, on oceans, this year’s theme, etc: https://www.un.org/en/observances/oceans-day
- Wikipedia, on World Oceans Day: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Oceans_Day
- The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: https://theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/