Seas and oceans cover over 70% of the surface of the planet, and are the source of life for every living being on Earth, including humans: they produce 50% of oxygen, host most of the planet’s biodiversity and provide food for over a billion people, as well as work for tens of millions of individuals.
Given that the environment, the economy – and at the end of the day, the future of the planet – are so closely bound up with the health of the seas and oceans, we’d be expected to take good care of them. Unfortunately, however, that’s not the case: 90% of the large fish population is gone, and 50% of the coral reefs has been destroyed, driving this habitat to the limit of its ability to regenerate its resources.
To boost awareness of this impending ecological disaster, 8 June sees the celebration of World Ocean Day, first proposed informally in 1992, during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, but not officially recognised by the United Nations until 2008, in order to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Objectives.
Over the last 14 years, the 8th of June has been seeking to boost public awareness of the ocean and the importance of protecting and sustainably managing ocean resources, focusing on a different aspect every time. The first theme, in 2008, was “Our ocean, our responsibility”, while the 2022 theme is “Revitalisation: collective action for the ocean”.
What we can do to preserve our marvellous marine resources for future generations:
- first of all, respect the seas and oceans with small, everyday actions that avoid polluting them;
- learn more about the ocean and transmit what we have learned;
- find out about the origin of the fish and seafood we eat, choosing only those caught and processed sustainably;
- take part in actions to protect the ocean, even just by signing petitions such as 30×30, which ask the world’s governments to guarantee the protection of 30% of land and sea by 2030.
During World Ocean Day, the UN will hold an official celebration, broadcast live worldwide, during which leading thinkers, celebrities, institutional partners, community representatives, entrepreneurs and experts will be sharing their ideas and visions on a number of key topics and inspiring a change that has now become necessary. In addition, the month of June will feature a series of events all over the world to highlight the importance of the oceans in our lives.
Suex has always been committed to promoting sustainable underwater exploration, thanks to our electric DPVs, which do not pollute or disturb the underwater ecosystem, and are the result of an on-going research and development effort. Suex also supports research and action to protect the seas and oceans, sponsoring a number of scientific research teams located all over the world.