World Oceans Days 2020: Raising awareness of sustainable ocean management
New Delhi:
World Oceans Day is celebrated around the world today. The theme for this year’s UN World Oceans Day is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean”. The oceans cover around 70% of the surface of our planet and represent almost 97% of the water on Earth.
The United Nations has declared, “Preserving the planet is work for all. Global goals are aimed at conserving the ocean, the sea and marine resources for a sustainable future.”
Preserving our oceans and its resources protects our future.
Here are some tips to help you #BeatPlasticPollution in our oceans:
Refuse plastic utensils
Use refillable bottles
Bring your own shopping bagsMore on Monday #WorldOceansDay: https://t.co/pWXqNhmsF2pic.twitter.com/uzQcIvyPW8
– United Nations (@UN) June 8, 2020
From humans to humpback whales, the oceans support life because they help produce almost 50% of the oxygen we breathe. Although June 8 is marked as World Oceans Day each year, the challenges of preserving marine life, sustainable economic activities around the coast have increased.
Threats to the marine biome are increasing. NITI Aayog tweeted: “There is no green without blue. On World Oceans Day, let’s take a moment and enjoy our marine life! We have the power to make a difference, so let’s be generation of change and save marine life from pollution. ”
There is no green without blue.
Sure #WorldOceansDay, take a moment and enjoy our marine life!
We have the power to make a difference, so let’s be the generation of change and save the marine life of #Pollution. pic.twitter.com/m3aLYeMpyg
– NITI Aayog (@NITIAayog) June 8, 2020
Let’s take a look at some of the main threats so that we can raise awareness of the move towards “sustainable” oceans.
1. The industries and the treatment plants discharge huge quantities of waste into ocean waters. Reports suggest that more than 200 million tonnes of hazardous waste is dumped into the oceans each year.
2. Dredging to assist shipping to destroy aquatic life and habitats.
3. As trade grows, emissions from ships in the form of oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur are a major source of pollution for the ocean environment.
4. Despite the measures taken by countries to combat marine pollution, this threat remains major for the oceans. Oil spills, waste from ships, etc., seriously damage the marine ecosystem.
5. Another major source of threat to the ocean is runoff from agricultural land, which contains chemicals. This is known to destroy the marine food chain.
Despite the daunting challenges, it is time to take serious action. The theme and work around World Oceans Day 2020 aims to lead to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development, from 2021 to 2030.
