World Ocean Day

 World Ocean Day: Here's All You Need To Know

World Ocean Day is celebrated annually on 8 June. The day was first proposed in 1992 by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development and the Ocean Institute of Canada at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The ocean is vital to the survival of life. From where single-celled organisms grew to multicellular and complex beings, to cover 70% of the surface on Earth, the ocean stands as a reminder of our success; being a constant companion whenever humanity ascended another step in the staircase of life. The ocean is our source of life, supporting the survival of humanity and that of every organism on Earth. The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen. The ocean is also vital to the survival of a billion people across the world, being the main source of protein for such a high number. By 2030, is presumed that ocean-based industries will also be actively employing 40 million people, contributing majorly to the global economy.

But, carelessness with its resources has led to a climate crisis like no other. 90% of big fish populations are depleted due to reckless fishing and pollution, and 50% of the coral reefs have also been destroyed.

What countries produce the most ocean waste? Read on to find out.

Philippines — 356, 371 metric tons
India — 126,513 metric tons
Malaysia — 73,098 metric tons
China — 70,707 metric tons
Indonesia — 56,333 metric tons

According to a study, countries with small geographical areas, longer coastlines, heavier rainfall and inadequate waste management systems are more likely to produce plastics that wash into the oceans. This is especially evident given the gap between the Philippines and India. The latter is much larger geographically but has, presumably, a stronger waste management system compared to the Philippines, which generates more than 2x the plastic waste in comparison to India.

China generates 10x the amount of plastic waste Malaysia does, however, 9% of Malaysia’s plastic waste is estimated to reach the ocean in comparison to China’s 0.6%.

Caring for the ocean is becoming a much more widely represented global issue, with each and every member of the UN observing World Ocean Day to stand in solidarity with the growing need to preserve our marine environment. The ocean is our lifeline; the one thing that has always been with us since our first days as a fledgling species. Let’s not destroy it any further.