World Oceans Day: Is it Possible to Revitalize Them?

For 70 years, the oceans and the ecosystems that surround them have been affected by the plastics that billions of people throw away every day. What is alarming about this situation is the little or no importance that has been given to it by the governments of the world, mainly from the rich countries.

On the other hand, marine animals, birds and even humans themselves are already consuming plastics. A problem that over time worsens the living conditions of every living being on the planet, leaving destruction and death in its wake.

For this reason, on World Oceans Day, the theme "Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean" will be highlighted, the purpose of which is to reflect deeply on the current problem of the seas and provide alternatives for their revitalization through various projects.

What is World Oceans Day? What will be discussed this year?

World Oceans Day is a date that was made official on December 5, 2008 at the United Nations General Assembly, through a Canadian project that sought the sustainable management of these resources and their protection.

It is currently celebrated every June 8 as a reference to Oceans Day, an event that was held for the same date in 1992 by the Canadian government, inspired by Earth Day. So, the idea of this event was to report on the impact that people have on the oceans and globalize projects for their sustainability.

For this year, the theme of World Oceans Day is revitalization through collective human action. In this eventuality, opinion leaders, public figures, institutional spokespersons, community leaders, businessmen and industry specialists will participate. Likewise, they will analyze different proposals for the development of a collaborative change.

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What projects are being proposed to revitalize the oceans?

Revitalize means to give life to something that is deteriorating. This idea is born from an environmental problem that afflicts all of humanity, but little is being done to solve it. According to the web portal of the United Nations Environment Program UNEP “ Plastics constitute the largest, most harmful and persistent fraction of marine litter and represent at least 85% of the total waste in the sea. ”. A situation that people ignore in their daily lives, but it has a real background that puts the survival of living beings at risk.

However, the article "From pollution to the solution", published on the same web portal, warns about the threats posed by the massive presence of plastics in the oceans. So worrying is the matter that, if measures are not taken now, the 11 million tons of plastic that are scattered in the sea could reach up to 37 million by 2040.

Therefore, various communities and leaders have been participating in proposals that help improve environmental conditions, through creative and innovative processes in which the following can be highlighted:

• Marevivo Project: It is an Italian initiative that aims to replant marine forests such as Cymodocea nodosa in coastal areas destroyed by humans and climate change. This will guarantee life in the oceans in the short term and provide oxygen to their ecosystems.
• Coral Restoration in Cozumel: This project designed by different non-profit organizations aims to restore ocean health in Cozumel and protect the irreplaceable wealth of coral reefs.
• Acting against plastic pollution: It is a proposal that shows in real figures the problem of plastics, the influence of the economy on the environmental impact and the threat to ecosystems. Its purpose is to provide solutions on land and sea to fight against plastic.

Is it possible to revitalize the oceans?

The seriousness of the problem lies in the fact that governments have not implemented solid policies that put an end to the production of this polluting waste. Today the conditions are measured in terrifying figures that grow day by day. Before it was believed that recycling was an alternative to reduce pollution. However, the recycling rate barely reaches 10% and the rest of the garbage is left hanging around the land and the sea.

It is true that there are many innovative proposals that range from communication to intervention in the natural environment and that are potentially viable to start restoring the oceans. However, the key is to develop the execution capacity in humans to end the use of plastic and make progress with each action.

In this sense, if true economic, political and social policies are not entrenched, change will hardly be achieved and, on the contrary, the circumstances we know will grow to critical levels.