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June 7, 2023

World Ocean Day

World Ocean Day is every year on the 8th June over 150 countries. Youth, organisation leaders and those passionate about saving the blue planet. World Ocean Day unites the world together to rally, protect and restore our blue planet.

Hello All!

“World Ocean Day rallies the world for ocean and climate action”. They also work in partnerships with youth leaders, zoos, aquariums, museums as well as a huge range of diverse organisations, a number which are youth led, and businesses from all over the world. The aim is to engage with the public, inform policymakers and unite everyone to protect the ocean and create a climate that is stable.

World Oceans Day has a 30+ year history since forming at the 1992 Earth summit in Rio, a Canadian initiative. Since then, World Oceans Day has been able to achieve:

  • 2002 – Begins global promotion and coordination of World Ocean Day with global partners
  • 2003 – WorldOceanDay.org website launched to support event organisers, 25 events held in 15 countries. Main event organisers were aquariums, zoos, museums and youth-focused organisations
  • 2008 – United Nations General Assembly officially recognises the 8th June as “World Oceans Day”
  • 2016 – World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council launched
  • 2020 – New website and logo launched. New multi-year Conservation Act Focus launched – protecting 30% of our lands and ocean by 2030
  • 2021 – Return back to “World Ocean Day”. Over 1000 online events and onsite events in 140 countries. More than 1100 organisations in 84 countries sign the global petition to world leaders to protect 30×30
  • 2022 – 10,000+ organisations and businesses coordinated 15,000+ events in 140+ countries
  • 2023 – World Ocean Day 2023 is on track to be bigger and more impactful than ever

What is 30×30?

World leaders made a commitment, globally, to protect 30% of oceans by 2030. It’s essential to save 30% of our planet’s land, waters and ocean to create a health ocean with a vast amount of wildlife and in order to stabilise the climate.

Prioritisting 30×30 is one of the main goal’s for World Ocean Day. Leading worldwide scientists have confirmed that a healthy ocean plays a critical part of the solution to climate and biodiversity crises. Supporting 30×30 means we can help the planet’s life support.

Less than 17% of land and 8% of oceans worldwide are protected right now.

After an increase in global commitment due to the 30×30 movement, including those involved in the World Ocean Day network, nation leaders made a global commitment to 30×30 during the COP15 in December 2022. Despite protecting land and oceans for the 30×30 project.

The 30×30 project has been long-awaited and spearheaded by supporters globally. From the 70,000 individual signatures in 120+ countries to the support of 1100+ organisations which has achieved some of the following:

  1. Agreement to conserve 30% of Earth by the end of the decade
  2. Indigenous rights at the heart of conservation
  3. Reform of environmentally harmful subsidies
  4. Nature disclosures for businesses
  5. A way forward on digital biopiracy

You are able to read further into these points on this Guardian article.

There are more ways that you can Take Action for World Ocean Day, and you can discover them on the World Ocean Day website here.

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