World Ocean Day
Encyclopedia
World Oceans Day, which had been unofficially celebrated every June 8 since its original proposal in 1992 by Canada
at the Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
, was officially recognized by the United Nations
in 2008. Since then it has been coordinated internationally by The Ocean Project
and the World Ocean Network
with greater success and global participation each year.
, celebrate the products the ocean provides such as seafood
as well as marine life itself for aquarium
s, pet
s, and also a time to appreciate its own intrinsic value. The ocean also provides sea-lanes for international trade. Global pollution
and over-consumption
of fish have resulted in drastically dwindling population
of the majority of species
.
The Ocean Project
, working in partnership with the World Ocean Network
, has been promoting WOD since 2003 with its network of over 1,200 organizations and others throughout the world. These groups have been working to build greater awareness of the crucial role of the ocean in our lives and the important ways people can help. World Oceans Day provides an opportunity to get directly involved in protecting our future, through a new mindset and personal and community action and involvement – beach cleanups, educational programs, art contests, film festivals, sustainable seafood events, and other planned activities help to raise consciousness of how our lives depend on the oceans.
The World Oceans Day 2011 & 2012 theme is Youth: the Next Wave for Change. World Ocean Day - The Ocean Project
The aim is to challenge participants to view ocean protection as a way of life, with a special emphasis around World Oceans Day each year.
This focus on youth is based on market research by The Ocean Project and others which clearly shows that youth are the most promising members of the public to reach out to if you want to effect lasting change.
Young people are the most knowledgeable and motivated segment of the population when it comes to the environment and its protection. Youth generally have the free time, familiarity with current issues, and the motivation to go out of their way to take environmental actions. Furthermore, the research shows that parents are increasingly looking to their tween and teenage (i.e. ages 12-17) children for information and advice on these issues.
We hope that event organizers will make a concerted effort to reach out to and collaborate with young people, helping inspire them to care for our world’s ocean, now and throughout their lives.
and the Census of Marine Life
, World Oceans Day 2010's theme of "Oceans of Life: Pick your favorite * Protect your favorite" sparked the biggest and most exciting worldwide participation to date. This year marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Seuss's classic book, One Fish, Two fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, as well as the Census of Marine Life's celebration of a decade of discovery with the release of their 10-year report documenting biodiversity in the world's ocean. 2010 also marked the International Year of Biodiversity.
The Ocean Project
and World Ocean Network
recorded over 300 events for WOD 2010, a 26% increase over 2009. Participation in the US increased by 32% (with participation in 37 states, as compared to 25 states last year), but this year several additional countries (a total of 45 globally) held events, including Bangladesh, Belgium, French Polynesia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Malta, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Portugal.
World Ocean Network to coordinate activities worldwide under the theme “Youth: the Next Wave for Change” with a special focus on getting the young people in our communities inspired to conserve our world’s oceans.
UN Theme
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, was officially recognized by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in 2008. Since then it has been coordinated internationally by The Ocean Project
The Ocean Project
The Ocean Project is an international network for advancing ocean education and action, with over 1,200 partner zoos, aquariums, and museums , plus conservation and education organizations, agencies, and institutions in all 50 U.S...
and the World Ocean Network
World Ocean Network
The World Ocean Network is an international non-profit association of organizations to promote the sustainable use of the oceans. One of its motto is "Caring for the Blue Planet, you can make a difference!"...
with greater success and global participation each year.
Purpose
World Oceans Day is an opportunity every year to honor the world's oceanOcean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
, celebrate the products the ocean provides such as seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
as well as marine life itself for aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
s, pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
s, and also a time to appreciate its own intrinsic value. The ocean also provides sea-lanes for international trade. Global pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
and over-consumption
Over-consumption
Over-consumption is a situation where resource-use has outpaced the sustainable capacity of the ecosystem. A prolonged pattern of overconsumption leads to inevitable environmental degradation and the eventual loss of resource bases...
of fish have resulted in drastically dwindling population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of the majority of species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
The Ocean Project
The Ocean Project
The Ocean Project is an international network for advancing ocean education and action, with over 1,200 partner zoos, aquariums, and museums , plus conservation and education organizations, agencies, and institutions in all 50 U.S...
, working in partnership with the World Ocean Network
World Ocean Network
The World Ocean Network is an international non-profit association of organizations to promote the sustainable use of the oceans. One of its motto is "Caring for the Blue Planet, you can make a difference!"...
, has been promoting WOD since 2003 with its network of over 1,200 organizations and others throughout the world. These groups have been working to build greater awareness of the crucial role of the ocean in our lives and the important ways people can help. World Oceans Day provides an opportunity to get directly involved in protecting our future, through a new mindset and personal and community action and involvement – beach cleanups, educational programs, art contests, film festivals, sustainable seafood events, and other planned activities help to raise consciousness of how our lives depend on the oceans.
World Oceans Day 2011
The Ocean Project recently launched a new site for WOD 2011.The World Oceans Day 2011 & 2012 theme is Youth: the Next Wave for Change. World Ocean Day - The Ocean Project
The aim is to challenge participants to view ocean protection as a way of life, with a special emphasis around World Oceans Day each year.
This focus on youth is based on market research by The Ocean Project and others which clearly shows that youth are the most promising members of the public to reach out to if you want to effect lasting change.
Young people are the most knowledgeable and motivated segment of the population when it comes to the environment and its protection. Youth generally have the free time, familiarity with current issues, and the motivation to go out of their way to take environmental actions. Furthermore, the research shows that parents are increasingly looking to their tween and teenage (i.e. ages 12-17) children for information and advice on these issues.
We hope that event organizers will make a concerted effort to reach out to and collaborate with young people, helping inspire them to care for our world’s ocean, now and throughout their lives.
World Oceans Day 2010
In partnership with Dr. SeussDr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
and the Census of Marine Life
Census of Marine Life
The Census of Marine Life was a global network of researchers in more than 80 nations engaged in a 10-year scientific initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the oceans...
, World Oceans Day 2010's theme of "Oceans of Life: Pick your favorite * Protect your favorite" sparked the biggest and most exciting worldwide participation to date. This year marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Seuss's classic book, One Fish, Two fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, as well as the Census of Marine Life's celebration of a decade of discovery with the release of their 10-year report documenting biodiversity in the world's ocean. 2010 also marked the International Year of Biodiversity.
The Ocean Project
The Ocean Project
The Ocean Project is an international network for advancing ocean education and action, with over 1,200 partner zoos, aquariums, and museums , plus conservation and education organizations, agencies, and institutions in all 50 U.S...
and World Ocean Network
World Ocean Network
The World Ocean Network is an international non-profit association of organizations to promote the sustainable use of the oceans. One of its motto is "Caring for the Blue Planet, you can make a difference!"...
recorded over 300 events for WOD 2010, a 26% increase over 2009. Participation in the US increased by 32% (with participation in 37 states, as compared to 25 states last year), but this year several additional countries (a total of 45 globally) held events, including Bangladesh, Belgium, French Polynesia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Malta, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Portugal.
First UN-recognized World Oceans Day
On the first World Oceans Day the Secretary-General of the United Nations gave the following message:
The first observance of World Oceans Day allows us to highlight the many ways in which oceans contribute to society. It is also an opportunity to recognize the considerable challenges we face in maintaining their capacity to regulate the global climate, supply essential ecosystem servicesEcosystem servicesHumankind benefits from a multitude of resources and processes that are supplied by natural ecosystems. Collectively, these benefits are known as ecosystem services and include products like clean drinking water and processes such as the decomposition of wastes...
and provide sustainable livelihoods and safe recreation.
Indeed, human activities are taking a terrible toll on the world’s oceans and seas. Vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as coralsCoral reefCoral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
, and important fisheries are being damaged by over-exploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishingIllegal, unreported and unregulated fishingIllegal fishing takes place where vessels operate in violation of the laws of a fishery. This can apply to fisheries that are under the jurisdiction of a coastal state or to high seas fisheries regulated by regional organisations....
, destructive fishing practicesDestructive fishing practicesThe phrase destructive fishing practices has been featured in international fisheries literature for around three decades. No widely accepted definition of the phrase exists, and this will almost certainly remain the situation, given very different national and industry perspectives...
, invasive alien speciesInvasive species"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
and marine pollutionMarine pollutionMarine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful effects, can result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms. Most sources of marine pollution are land based...
, especially from land-based sources. Increased sea temperaturesSea surface temperatureSea surface temperature is the water temperature close to the oceans surface. The exact meaning of surface varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masses in the Earth's atmosphere are highly modified by sea surface temperatures within a...
, sea-level rise and ocean acidificationOcean acidificationOcean acidification is the name given to the ongoing decrease in the pH and increase in acidity of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere....
caused by climate changeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
pose a further threat to marine life, coastal and island communities and national economies.
Oceans are also affected by criminal activity. Piracy and armed robbery against ships threaten the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping, which transports 90 per cent of the world’s goods. Smuggling of illegal drugs and the trafficking of persons by sea are further examples of how criminal activities threaten lives and the peace and security of the oceans.
Several international instruments drawn up under the auspices of the United Nations address these numerous challenges. At their centre lies the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It provides the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out, and is the basis for international cooperation at all levels. In addition to aiming at universal participation, the world must do more to implement this Convention and to uphold the rule of law on the seas and oceans.
The theme of World Oceans Day, “Our oceans, our responsibility”, emphasizes our individual and collective duty to protect the marine environment and carefully manage its resources. Safe, healthy and productive seas and oceans are integral to human well-being, economic security and sustainable development.
World Ocean Network to coordinate activities worldwide under the theme “Youth: the Next Wave for Change” with a special focus on getting the young people in our communities inspired to conserve our world’s oceans.
Theme
The Ocean Project/World Ocean Network international partner network theme- 2010: Oceans of Life / Pick your favorite * Protect your favorite
- 2009: One Climate, One Ocean, One Future
UN Theme
- 2011: Our oceans: greening our future
- 2010: Our oceans: opportunities and challenges
- 2009: Our Oceans, Our Responsibility