The ocean contains 70% of land and 97% of the water in the world.
The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean that covers 30% of the land in the world.
Around 2.6 million people depend upon the ocean for their protein source. Oceans are home to nearly 200,000 identified species on the earth. It absorbs 30% of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the effect of global warming.
More than 3 billion people depend upon marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihood. 40% of world’s ocean is affected by human activities like pollution, depleted fisheries, and loss of coastal habitat.
World Ocean Day was proposed in 1992 Rio De Janerio Earth Summit as a way to celebrate our world shared ocean and our personal connection to the sea, as well as to raise awareness about the crucial role the ocean plays in our lives and the important ways people can help to protect it. By its resolution 63/111 of 5 December 2008, the UN General Assembly designated 8 June as World Ocean Day. To raise awareness about the role of the ocean the United Nations and international law can play in sustainable development and use of the ocean in their living and non-living resources, the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea is actively coordinating different activities for World Ocean Day.
UNESCO’S Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) sponsors the world ocean network which has working since 2002 been instrumental in building support for awareness about the ocean on June 8 through events. Along with UNESCO, other UN agencies also work on protecting marine and the coastal ecosystem to avoid significant adverse effects: the United Nations Environment Programme which focuses on environmental issues.
FAO strengthens global governance and the managerial and technical capacities of members which leads to consensus-building towards improved conservation and utilization of the resources, UNDP manages biodiversity and human development projects and the International Maritime Organisation is responsible for the safety and security of shipping the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. Life below water is important because coastal waters are deteriorating due to pollution and eutrophication. Without concentrated efforts, coastal eutrophication is expected to increase by 20 large marine ecosystems by 2050. Ocean sites show the current level of acidity is increased to 26 percent since the start of the industrial revolution.
