World Oceans Day 2024, Date, Theme, and Significance

PWOnlyIAS June 07, 2024 01:32 1963 0

World Oceans Day is celebrated every year on June 8th, a major occasion aimed at increasing public awareness on the importance of oceans. Read more to learn about World Oceans Day 2024 and its theme.

World Oceans Day 2024, Date, Theme, and Significance

World Oceans Day is celebrated every year on June 8th, a major occasion aimed at increasing public awareness on the importance of oceans. Oceans are an essential component of our ecosystem, supporting a variety of ecosystems, controlling the climate, and giving millions of people a source to live. This blog examines the importance of World Oceans Day 2024, as well as its theme, and background.

World Oceans Day 2024

World Oceans Day 2024 is to spread the awareness of the value of oceans and the need for their conservation on a worldwide scale. World Oceans Day 2024 is celebrated on June 8th, 2024. The day acts as a forum for informing people about how human activity affects marine environments and promotes preventative actions to safeguard the health of the ocean. On UN World Oceans Day 2024, people all around the world organize a variety of campaigns, events, and activities to raise awareness of the critical need for sustainable management of ocean resources.

World Oceans Day 2024 theme

Every year, a different theme is adopted to steer the focus of campaigns and events on United Nations World Ocean Day. The World Oceans Day 2024 theme is “Awaken New Depths.” The theme aims to raise awareness of the effects of human activity on the ocean, create a global movement of citizens for the ocean, and inspire global support for the sustainable management of the ocean. UN World Oceans Day 2024 is hosted by the United Nations at its Headquarters in New York. 

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Who started World Ocean Day

During the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992, the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) and Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) initially presented the idea of World Oceans Day. The plan was to establish a day to understand the importance of oceans and spread knowledge of both their important function and the environmental difficulties they face. June 8th was designated as World Oceans Day by the UN in 2008, providing it with international recognition and backing.

History of the World Oceans Day

The history of World Oceans Day is rooted in the growing recognition of the need to protect our oceans. After its initial proposal in 1992, it took several years of advocacy and awareness-building by various organizations and environmentalists to gain official recognition. 

1992:

The World Oceans Day concept was proposed by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

  • The aim was to create a day dedicated to celebrating oceans and raising awareness about their importance and the environmental challenges they face.

1992-2008:

  • Various organizations and environmentalists advocate for official recognition of World Oceans Day.
  • They carried out many efforts including awareness campaigns, educational programs, and community activities to highlight the significance of oceans.

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2002:

  • The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network start coordinating activities to promote World Oceans Day globally.
  • There was increased participation from NGOs, educational institutions, and communities in 2002.

2008:

  • The United Nations officially announced June 8th as World Oceans Day in 2008.
  • The formal endorsement was done by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 63/111 for the Declaration of Oceans Day.

2009-Present:

  • Annual celebration of World Oceans Day with specific themes each year to focus on different aspects of ocean conservation.
  • Themes have included topics such as marine pollution, climate change, sustainable fisheries, and ocean science.

Previous World Oceans Day Themes

  • 2018: “Clean Our Ocean!” focusing on combating plastic pollution.
  • 2019: “Gender and the Ocean” highlighting the role of gender equality in ocean conservation.
  • 2020: “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean” emphasizing technological and scientific advances for ocean health.
  • 2021: “The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods” underlining the importance of oceans in sustaining life and economies.
  • 2022: “Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean” calling for collaborative efforts to restore ocean health.
  • 2023: “Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing” emphasizing the need for urgent action to address environmental changes impacting oceans.
  • 2024: “Awaken New Depths”, highlight the efforts to protect our Blue Planet.

Significance of World Ocean Day

World Oceans Day is very important because it raises awareness of the critical role that oceans play in preserving the health of the world and sustaining human life. Over 70% of the Earth’s surface is made up of oceans, which are also home to a wide variety of biodiversity. In addition to producing oxygen and food for billions of people, they also control the climate. The most important Significance of World Ocean Day is to encourage everyone to take responsibility for and take immediate action to conserve marine environments.

What Are The Five Oceans Of The World?

The following are the five main oceans on Earth:

Five oceans of the world

  1. The Pacific Ocean: It is spanning over 63 million square miles, is the biggest and deepest ocean in the world.
  2. The Atlantic Ocean: It is the second-largest ocean in the world, and is well-known for its important influence on past trade routes and weather patterns.
  3. Indian Ocean: The third-largest ocean in the world, the Indian Ocean is important for its substantial shipping lanes and biodiversity.
  4. Antarctic Ocean: This southern Antarctica is vital to the control of the world’s climate.
  5. Arctic Ocean: The smallest and shallowest ocean in the world, the Arctic is renowned for its distinct ecosystems and frigid temperatures.

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Importance of Oceans

Oceans are essential for life on Earth and they play an important role if the following regulations:

Climate Regulation:

  • Oceans absorb heat and carbon dioxide, mitigating the effects of climate change.
  • It drives weather patterns and influences global climate through ocean currents.

Food Source:

  • Oceans provide protein for over a billion people worldwide.
  • Oceans also support commercial fishing industries essential for livelihoods.

Economic Value:

  • Oceans support millions of jobs in fishing, tourism, and maritime industries.
  • They are crucial for global trade, with shipping routes connecting economies.

Biodiversity:

  • Oceans are a home to countless species of marine plants and animals, many still undiscovered.
  • They support complex ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves, and deep-sea environments.

Oxygen Production:

  • Oceans have a main role in oxygen production. Phytoplankton in oceans produce around 50% of the Earth’s oxygen.
  • They play a key role in maintaining the planet’s life-support systems.

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Oceans Under Threat

Oceans are important for survival of living beings, however, they face many threats:

  • Climate Change: As a result of rising global temperatures, marine life and coastal towns are at risk from ocean warming, acidity, and ocean level rise.
  • Pollution: Chemicals, plastic trash, oil spills, and agricultural runoff contaminate the oceans, endangering marine life and ecosystems.
  • Overfishing: Fish stocks are being reduced and marine food webs are being upset by unsustainable fishing methods.
  • Habitat Destruction: Seagrass beds, mangroves, coral reefs, and other important marine habitats are being destroyed by bottom trawling, coastal development, and other activities.
  • Invasive Species: Due to human activity, non-native species may be brought in and cause diseases, predation, or outcompete native marine life, upsetting regional ecosystems.

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Summary

A vital reminder of the value of our oceans and the pressing need to safeguard them can be delivered by World Oceans Day 2024. The world oceans day contributes to the development of a more sustainable connection with the marine environment by promoting awareness and worldwide action. For UPSC aspirants, learning about the world oceans day 2024 is must as these topics come under the current affairs in both prelims and mains exam. 

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World Oceans Day 2024 FAQs

June 8th is World Oceans Day, which falls on the same day that the Earth Summit in 1992 first suggested it. This date was designated as a worldwide commemoration day to support ocean conservation by the United Nations in 2008.

The world oceans day 2024 theme is "Awaken New Depths”. The theme highlights the efforts to protect our Blue Planet and emphasizes how dynamic our oceans are and how to solve environmental issues that have an impact on marine ecosystems.

Climate change, pollution, overfishing, habitat degradation, and invasive species are the biggest challenges to the oceans. The health of ocean ecosystems and marine biodiversity are greatly impacted by these problems.

World Seas Day helps to conserve the oceans by bringing attention to the value of oceans and the risks they face on a worldwide scale. It supports group initiatives, legislative modifications, and private sector initiatives to save marine habitats and advance the sustainable use of ocean resources.

Ocean currents dictate weather patterns and assist in controlling temperatures by absorbing heat and carbon dioxide, which controls the global climate.
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