World Oceans Day: let’s be aware of our impact!

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June is an environmental month and the 8th, its summit date. The human conscience on the subject is fundamental for the preservation of this natural resource

Without a doubt, this is a month to reflect on the importance of the oceans and our impact as a society in the different waters of the world. World Oceans Day is celebrated every June 8, after being established in 2008 by the General Assembly of the United Nations and commemorated as of 2009, ten years ago.

Leer en español: Dia Mundial de los Océanos: ¡tomemos conciencia de nuestro impacto!

Geoinnova reminds us that the concept was first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit that was held in Rio de Janeiro. The initial objective was to establish the oceans as a bridge between the countries of the world and, of course, to reflect on our relationship with the sea.

Since then, the date promotes awareness of the crucial role that the oceans play in our lives and the multiple actions we can and must take to protect them. The World Ocean Network, which is sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and belongs to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is responsible for organizing events related to this date.

There are details that are necessary to know, such as that the oceans cover more than 70% of the surface of the globe, that only 1% of the ocean surface is protected and that they also contain 96% of all the Earth's water, the rest is in the form of rivers, lakes, and ice, absorbing about 25% of the CO2 that human activity adds to the atmosphere annually, El Periódico added.

Antena 3 also contributed to the issue by stating that the oceans are a source of food and medicines and a fundamental part of the biosphere, taking into account that marine products are a vital source of protein for one out of every four people in the world.

Read also: Everything you need to know about World Environment Day

An important date

Geoinnova reiterates that the oceans are the heart of our planet since they regulate the climate and produce the oxygen necessary to feed millions of people, as well as serving as a habitat for a large number of natural species.

Therefore, in LatinAmerican Post, World Oceans Day is an opportunity to: raise awareness among citizens about the great role that oceans play in our lives, inform public opinion about the consequences of human activity for the oceans, promote a global citizen movement in favor of the oceans through sustainable management; and finally, enjoy the richness and potential that these possess.

The same website clarifies that garbage is a problem for life that lives in the oceans. Considering that problem, the UN figure is worrisome when it states that only 1% of the oceans are being protected.

No to plastic!

As the oceans are an important source of food and medicine, and an essential part of the biosphere, for the UN, the celebration comes hand in hand with eradicating contamination by plastics. María Fernanda Espinosa, president of the General Assembly, launched, within the framework of this day, the campaign "Play It Out", focused in that sense.

The figures are alarming, a total of 13 thousand tons of plastic seeping into the ocean every year, which causes, among other things, the death of 100,000 marine species per year, a consequence generated by decades of excessive use and increased consumption. of plastics, which could lead to a natural catastrophe on the planet.

La Vanguardia adds that the marine biologist and explorer of National Geographic, Manu San Félix, demonstrates in his documentary, Salvemos Nuestro Mediterráneo, that the consequences of plastic waste in Spain are high. It should be noted that, in addition to plastic, the privatization of seabed, the transport of goods, overfishing (33% worldwide) and cruise tourism, are also factors that threaten the ocean preservation. More problems for the so-called marine biodiversity.

El Periódico adds that to give an example, all single-use plastics have been eliminated since the first days of June at the UN headquarters in New York. Cardboard plates, metal cutlery and glass jars replace the usual plastic products in all areas of the organization. Espinosa, said "We have to do what we preach"

Finally, the UN reported that plastic waste clogs the waterways, harms the communities that depend on fishing and tourism, ends the lives of turtles, birds, whales, and dolphins, reaching even the most remote areas of the planet. At this rate, the reflection that humans must do is to work for preservation. Otherwise, the plastic waste will be, in a short time, the majority in relation to the fish.

LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano

Translated from "Día Mundial de los Océanos: ¡tomemos conciencia de nuestro impacto!"