INTERNATIONAL Oceans Day, observed on June 8 each year, serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting our oceans and marine ecosystems.
This year’s theme, “Everyone has the power to protect the ocean”, highlights the role each of us can play in safeguarding this vital resource.
The Earth is made up of one part land and three parts water, with oceans accounting for 97% of the world’s total water. The oceans provide countless benefits to humanity, yet they are being polluted at an alarming rate.
Today, the oceans face unprecedented challenges. They produce an estimated 70% to 80% of the oxygen we breathe and play a crucial role in the water cycle that supplies us with rainfall and freshwater.
The majority of global trade is conducted by sea while millions of people depend on the oceans for food, employment and income. For fishermen and coastal communities, the ocean is a source of livelihood and sustenance.
The oceans are also home to a rich diversity of marine life, including many rare species, coral reefs and polar ice formations. However, melting ice, rising sea levels, pollution, oil spills and the dumping of waste are disrupting marine ecosystems and threatening the natural balance of our environment.
Coral reefs, which support a vast range of marine species, are being damaged and destroyed at an alarming pace.
If we fail to protect our oceans, the consequences will affect us all. Preserving marine biodiversity and maintaining healthy oceans require collective action and responsibility.
Marine life continues to suffer from pollution, particularly plastic waste and litter.
Many of us enjoy visiting and swimming at the beach. If we want clean, safe and beautiful coastlines for future generations, we must do our part by keeping our beaches clean, reducing waste and avoiding littering.
Protecting the oceans is not only an environmental responsibility but also an investment in our shared future.
N.V. Subbarow
Senior consumer and Environmental Education officer
Consumers Association of Penang
