World Oceans Day
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World Ocean Day (acronym: WOD) is an international day that takes place annually on 8 June. The concept was originally proposed in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[1] The Ocean Project started global coordination of World Ocean Day starting in 2002. "World Oceans Day" was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2008. The international day supports the implementation of worldwide Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fosters public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources.[2] World Oceans Day is observed by all UN member states, incl. Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, South Africa and the United States.[citation needed]
| World Ocean Day | |
|---|---|
A sunset in the White Sea | |
| Observed by | All UN member states, including Argentina Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, South Africa and the United States |
| Date | 8 June |
| Next time | 8 June 2024 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 8 June 1992 |
History edit
1987–1992 edit
The Brundtland Commission (also known as the World Commission on Environment and Development) noted in the 1987 Brundtland Report that the ocean sector lacked a strong voice compared to other sectors.[3]
At the first World Ocean Day in 1992, the objectives were to move the ocean from the sidelines to the centre of the intergovernmental and NGO discussions and policy and to strengthen the voice of ocean and coastal constituencies worldwide.[citation needed]
2002–2008 edit
Globally coordinated efforts began with The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network collaborating, and events numbered in the dozens. During this time, www.WorldOceanDay.org launched,[4] to help promote the opportunity to raise the profile of the ocean and provide opportunities for getting involved and making a difference for our blue planet. The website provides event organisers with ways to help in their communities, and generates global involvement through the dissemination of educational and actionable resources, ideas, and tools, always free for everyone to use to celebrate World Ocean Day in whatever way they choose. In 2004, The Ocean Project and World Ocean Network launched the "Help Make a Difference for our Ocean Planet!" with both online and in person opportunities to sign a petition to the United Nations to officially recognise 8 June as World Ocean Day.[5] In December 2008, the UN General Assembly passed a Declaration to officially recognise the Day.[6][7]
Annual themes edit
Overview edit
The United Nations selected the following annual themes for the Day:
- 2009: "Our Oceans, Our Responsibilities"
- 2010: "Our Oceans: Opportunities and Challenges"
- 2011: "Our Oceans: greening our future"
- 2012: "UNCLOS @ 30" — United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
- 2013: "Oceans & People"
- 2014: "Ocean Sustainability: Together let's ensure oceans can sustain us into the future"
- 2015: "Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet"
- 2016: "Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet — Voyaging to a Sustainable Planet: Arrival of the Hōkūle‘a"
- 2017: "Our Oceans, Our Future"
- 2018: "Clean our Ocean!"
- 2019: "Gender and Oceans"
- 2020: "Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean"
- 2021: "The Ocean: Life & Livelihoods"
- 2022: "Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean"
- 2023: "Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing"
2008 edit
The Ocean Project and World Ocean Network launched an annual theme for the first time: "Helping our climate / helping our ocean" with a special focus on coral reefs, to help support the International Year of the Reef.[citation needed]
2009–2010 edit
Continued and more heavily emphasised on climate with conservation action theme of "one ocean, one climate, one future" because comprehensive polling work showed that the public not making the connections between climate change and ocean health.[citation needed]
2010 edit
The Ocean Project and World Ocean Network recorded over 300 events for WOD 2010, a 26% increase over 2009. Participation in the United States increased by 32% (with participation in 37 states, as compared to 25 states the previous year). Forty-five countries participated in World Oceans Day 2010, including Bangladesh, Belgium, French Polynesia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Malta, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Portugal.[citation needed]
2011–2012 edit
Based on growing requests from around the world for a two-year focus, The Ocean Project and World Ocean Network launched "Youth: the Next Wave for Change" encouraging all participating organizations to more effectively engage young people in their communities and countries for education and action.[citation needed]
2013 edit
The "Make a Promise" global campaign focused again on supporting organizations to use World Oceans Day events as opportunities to ask people in their communities or target audiences to take action for our shared ocean.[citation needed]
2014 edit
Through the global World Ocean Day network, stepped up involvement on the major issues facing the ocean, and launched "Together We Have the Power to Protect the Ocean!" with action guides on renewable energy/climate change, sustainable seafood/fisheries, plastics action. Events registered on the World Ocean Day website numbered in the hundreds. The United Nations together with partners launched the annual amateur World Oceans Day Oceanic Photo Competition.[8][9]
2015–2019 edit
In solidarity with the annual UN themes, The Ocean Project launched a five-year Conservation Action Focus on plastic pollution prevention and helping with solutions for a healthy world ocean. The World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council launched in 2016, and current cohort includes 25 diverse young leaders (ages 15–23) from 22 countries. Annual Reports since 2016 can be viewed here.
2020 edit
The UN theme for World Oceans Day was "Innovation for a sustainable ocean".[10] Conservation Action Focus on protecting 30% of our lands and ocean by 2030 ("30x30"), joining with the Campaign for Nature and the growing global movement to petition world leaders to commit their countries to 30x30. The Ocean Project and National Geographic coordinated a first-ever 24-hour Youth-a-thon for the ocean, with 24 co-hosts from 24 major time zones discussing and demonstrating ways to learn more about and help protect our shared blue planet. The World Ocean Day 2020 Annual Report can be viewed here.
2021 edit
The theme for World Oceans Day in 2021 was'The Ocean: Life & Livelihoods'.[11] The aim of this year's campaign was to "shed light on the wonder of the ocean and how it is our life-source, supporting humanity and every other organism on Earth".[12] The conservation action focus for World Ocean Day 2021 focused for a second year on protecting 30% of our lands and ocean by 2030 ("30x30"), joining with the Campaign for Nature and the growing global movement to petition world leaders to commit their countries to 30x30. There were more than 1,000 events from 150 countries registered on the website and the World Ocean Day 2021 Annual Report can be viewed here.
2022 edit
The theme for World Oceans Day in 2022 is Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean. The campaign was promoted on social media.[13] Its purpose was to raise awareness and action against the consequences of human activity on the ocean’s health, as 95% of the ocean’s surface has become more acidic since the late 1980s. The acidification of the oceans is dangerous to the marine ecosystem and affects more than three billion people, who depend on the oceans for income and diet.[14]
Celebrations edit
World Oceans Day 2022 celebration edit
On 8 June 2022, millions of people in multiple different countries across the whole world celebrated World Oceans Day 2022 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.[citation needed]
World Oceans Day edition dates edit
Pre-2022 (1992–2021) edit
| Edition number | Date | Also known as | Day of the Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 8 June 1992 | World Oceans Day 1992 | Monday |
| 2nd | 8 June 1993 | World Oceans Day 1993 | Tuesday |
| 3rd | 8 June 1994 | World Oceans Day 1994 | Wednesday |
| 4th | 8 June 1995 | World Oceans Day 1995 | Thursday |
| 5th | 8 June 1996 | World Oceans Day 1996 | Saturday |
| 6th | 8 June 1997 | World Oceans Day 1997 | Sunday |
| 7th | 8 June 1998 | World Oceans Day 1998 | Monday |
| 8th | 8 June 1999 | World Oceans Day 1999 | Tuesday |
| 9th | 8 June 2000 | World Oceans Day 2000 | Thursday |
| 10th | 8 June 2001 | World Oceans Day 2001 | Friday |
| 11th | 8 June 2002 | World Oceans Day 2002 | Saturday |
| 12th | 8 June 2003 | World Oceans Day 2003 | Sunday |
| 13th | 8 June 2004 | World Oceans Day 2004 | Tuesday |
| 14th | 8 June 2005 | World Oceans Day 2005 | Wednesday |
| 15th | 8 June 2006 | World Oceans Day 2006 | Thursday |
| 16th | 8 June 2007 | World Oceans Day 2007 | Friday |
| 17th | 8 June 2008 | World Oceans Day 2008 | Sunday |
| 18th | 8 June 2009 | World Oceans Day 2009 | Monday |
| 19th | 8 June 2010 | World Oceans Day 2010 | Tuesday |
| 20th | 8 June 2011 | World Oceans Day 2011 | Wednesday |
| 21st | 8 June 2012 | World Oceans Day 2012 | Friday |
| 22nd | 8 June 2013 | World Oceans Day 2013 | Saturday |
| 23rd | 8 June 2014 | World Oceans Day 2014 | Sunday |
| 24th | 8 June 2015 | World Oceans Day 2015 | Monday |
| 25th | 8 June 2016 | World Oceans Day 2016 | Wednesday |
| 26th | 8 June 2017 | World Oceans Day 2017 | Thursday |
| 27th | 8 June 2018 | World Oceans Day 2018 | Friday |
| 28th | 8 June 2019 | World Oceans Day 2019 | Saturday |
| 29th | 8 June 2020 | World Oceans Day 2020 | Monday |
| 30th | 8 June 2021 | World Oceans Day 2021 | Tuesday |
2022 and beyond edit
| Edition number | Date | Also known as | Day of the Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31st | 8 June 2022 | World Oceans Day 2022 | Wednesday |
| 32nd | 8 June 2023 | World Oceans Day 2023 | Thursday |
| 33rd | 8 June 2024 | World Oceans Day 2024 | Saturday |
| 34th | 8 June 2025 | World Oceans Day 2025 | Sunday |
| 35th | 8 June 2026 | World Oceans Day 2026 | Monday |
| 36th | 8 June 2027 | World Oceans Day 2027 | Tuesday |
| 37th | 8 June 2028 | World Oceans Day 2028 | Thursday |
| 38th | 8 June 2029 | World Oceans Day 2029 | Friday |
| 39th | 8 June 2030 | World Oceans Day 2030 | Saturday |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Swan, Judith. "About". United Nations. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- ^ "World Oceans Day, 8 June". www.un.org. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ ARE, Federal Office for Spatial Development. "1987: Brundtland Report". www.are.admin.ch. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ "– Mission and History".
- ^ "OUR OCEAN OUR FUTURE – bfitdoon.com". 7 June 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "HOME". www.un.org. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- ^ "A/RES/63/111: Oceans and the law of the sea" (PDF). United Nations. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- ^ United Nations. "United Nations World Oceans Day Oceanic Photo Competition". United Nations World Oceans Day Oceanic Photo Competition 2014–2017. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ United Nations. "United Nations World Oceans Day Oceanic Photo Competition". United Nations World Oceans Day Oceanic Photo Competition 2018+. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ "World Oceans Day 2020: History, significance & this year's theme". 8 June 2020.
- ^ "World Oceans Day 2021: Date, Theme, History, Quotes, Significance". S A NEWS. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ United Nations. "Home - UN World Oceans Day". United Nations World Oceans Day. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "UN WOD 22 #RevitalizeTheOcean Toolkit \x5bOrganizations\x5d".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "World Oceans Day 2022: What is Ocean Acidification?". www.iaea.org. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
External links edit
- Official United Nations World Oceans Day Website
- Official United Nations World Oceans Day Website (2009–2017)
- World Ocean Day website
- The Ocean Project website