World Oceans Day 2024: awakening new depths
World Oceans Day is being celebrated on 8 June with the aim of raising awareness of the importance marine environments have on our lives
World Oceans Day 2024
On 8 June, we celebrate World Oceans Day, when the United Nations invites us to reflect upon the important of oceans on human survival and all life on Earth.
Despite its significance, we have only explored some 10% of these vast masses of water. That is why this year’s theme has been named “Awaken New Depths”. Although we know little about the oceans compared to their immensity, we do know that our actions have obvious consequences on all that water.
There’s no time to continue ignoring the consequences of our activities and of climate change on the oceans.
On this day, the UN calls on us to work together in order to mitigate the effects of climate change on its waters, to restore its vitality and to stop polluting it with our actions. Not only do the oceans produce 50% of the planet's oxygen, they are also home to most of the world's biodiversity and are the main source of food for millions of people around the world.
In Sustainability for all we have analysed different aspects that have an impact on the conservation of the oceans, their flora and fauna: climate change, rising sea levels, pollution, fishing, water acidification... and we have compiled all the publications in this gallery.
Source: UN
Measures to be taken to deal with 'hunting' in the oceans
The sustainability of our oceans is closely related with the state of the living beings that inhabit them. Many species are in danger due to man's actions, such as mass hunting of dolphins for food (and especially their sale to dolphinariums), of whales for their meat or for cosmetic use, sharks just for their fin.
Destructive vs sustainable fishing
When we speak about destructive fishing techniques, we refer to seabed devastation, species overexploitation and non-selective fishing. Oceans acidification is increasing at a dramatic pace, contributing to the extinction of vegetal and animal species which, together with overexploitation and destructive fishing methods, is undermining our seas health.
What is acid rain?
Acid rain is one of the consequences of air pollution. It occurs when emissions from factories, cars or heating boilers contact with the water in the atmosphere. These emissions contain nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide, which when mixed with water become sulfurous acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid. This process also occurs naturally through volcanic eruptions.
How the water cycle works?
The natural water cycle is being affected by changes in climate, overextraction and pollution. Acidification of the oceans is a real and present problem to avoid.
Garbage patches
Maybe for a few years now you've heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the other islands of trash that populate Earth's seas. You've probably seen pictures of an enormous accumulation of debris of all kinds adrift on the ocean surface. This waste stain stretches over a million and a half square kilometers -three times Spain or the sum of Peru and Ecuador-.
What are bioplastics?
Bioplastics are biodegradable materials that come from renewable sources and can be used to reduce the problem of contaminating plastic waste that is suffocating the planet and contaminating the environment. Does it make any sense to continue using packaging that can take centuries to disappear to pack products that only last days or months?
Sea level rise: causes and consequences
Is the planet in deep water? Metaphorically speaking, there may be disparate opinions: it is true that human action has caused havoc on the environment, in some cases with no possibility of turning back; but those who prefer to see the glass half full focus on the purpose of amendment and the progress made to reverse the situation.
Countries at risk of disappearing due to climate change
Climate change poses a major threat to the whole planet, but there are certain geographical areas which are more exposed to the dangers of global warming. These countries are part of the so-called SIDS (Small Island Developing States), which by its nature will be the first to suffer the consequences of climate change and are in danger of disappearing.
Polar melting in figures
The international scientific community has agreed that the Arctic and Antarctic ice melting is now a proven fact. Climate change, chiefly caused by greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, has affected many vulnerable ecosystems.
Conversations with Sylvia Earle 200 meters down
“We are the cause of the problem. This is fortunate in that we also have the solutions… Let us restore everything we can while we have the opportunity,” the inspiring scientist says in an interview with journalist Amaro Gomez-López.
From their conversation deep down in the immense Pacific (200 meters below the surface), we created an amazing three-episode series also including unique images of the Galapagos Islands. Discover them embedded in the following article:
