World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day began in 2009 and is to celebrate the role of the oceans in our everyday life and inspire action to protect the ocean and sustainably use marine resources. The 2021 celebration of this day is significant as it is the first year of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Proclaimed by the United Nations, 2021-2030 is the decade to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and gather ocean stakeholders worldwide behind a common framework to transform ocean science into innovative solutions and sustain ocean science institutions and infrastructure in times of crisis. As outlined in the Implementation Plan for this decade, the ocean is under threat. Land-based and sea-based activities affect over 40% of the ocean’s surface. Deoxygenation is creating ocean dead zones and harmful algal blooms are generating significant risks for human health and economies. Live coral cover, which harbours significant biodiversity and provides coastal protection and livelihoods, has nearly halved in the last 150 years. This decade thus involves a large-scale campaign of transformational ocean science to empower and engage stakeholders across disciplines, geographies and generations and to meet the following challenges: