Latest news with #OceansDay
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
UN: Growing threat to oceans a global emergency
— Abhinav Rai The recent sinking of the Liberian-flagged vessel MSC ELSA-3 near the Kochi coast, with potentially hazardous cargo, underscores the vulnerability of marine ecosystems. Kochi coast is rich in bio-diversity and this accident could adversely affect the community living nearby. The Kerala government has declared the incident a state disaster. Such incidents are detrimental to marine life and the overall health of the oceans. The crisis reminds us of the growing threats to the ocean that the United Nations has called a global emergency urging world leaders to translate their pledges into action. In this context, thousands of delegates, including heads of state, scientists, and environmental advocates, are expected in Nice, France this week to mark the third UN Ocean Conference (June 9-13), which also coincides with World Oceans Day (June 8). The idea of dedicating a day to the ocean emerged from the growing importance of ocean awareness and led to the declaration of 'Oceans Day' at the 1992 UNCED. It was later designated as 'World Ocean Day' by the UN in 2008. This year's theme is 'Wonder: Sustaining what sustains us'. Against this backdrop, it's important to understand the oceans' spatial coverage, features, critical ecological functions, and the rising global concerns about ocean health. Covering over 70 per cent of Earth's surface and holding 97 per cent of its water, oceans are the very essence of our planet, sustaining 94 per cent of all life. Oceans are the world's largest ecosystem, rich in biodiversity and home to nearly a million known species. As highlighted by UN SDG-14, Life Below Water, focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources is crucial. Oceans also act as a massive carbon sink, absorbing significant amounts of CO2, while their phytoplankton produce over half the oxygen we breathe. Furthermore, they govern the Earth's hydrological cycle and redistribute heat through currents, profoundly influencing global climate patterns. The convergence of warm and cold currents creates highly productive fishing grounds, like Newfoundland, by fostering plankton growth, the base of the marine food web. Apart from being fishing grounds, oceans' continental shelves have vast reserves of fossil fuels and natural gas. Some examples include the Gulf of Mexico, the Siberian Shelf in the Arctic Ocean, the Persian Gulf, and the Bombay High in the Arabian sea. The health and sustainable management of our oceans are not merely environmental concerns but fundamental to our planet's life support systems and global economic stability. However, increasing sea surface temperature, sea level rise, plastic pollution, overexploitation of marine resources, maritime accidents, and the increasing frequency and intensity of cyclonic events have raised concerns about the ocean health and populations living in coastal regions. Oceans absorb approximately 23 per cent of annual CO2 emitted by anthropogenic activities and more than 90 per cent of the excess heat in the climate system. The increasing sea surface temperature is making oceans more saline and dense, adversely affecting marine life. This has made oceans 30 per cent more acidic compared to pre-industrial times, and lowered their oxygen levels. Corals, known as the 'Rainforests of the Sea' are dying (also called Coral Bleaching) due to rising sea temperatures and other environmental factors. When water is too warm, corals expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. This is called coral bleaching. The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) has confirmed that during the 4th global mass bleaching event between January 2023 to March 30, 2025, bleaching-level heat stress impacted 84 per cent of the world's coral reefs affecting 82 countries. Antarctica and Arctic regions are experiencing an increased number of ice-free days, while ocean warming is accelerating calving and the breaking off of glacier mass from coasts, which also contributes to rising sea levels. In addition, plastic pollution and accidents of cargo ships in the oceans are posing threats to ocean health. India's geographic location with 11,098 km coastline puts it in a strategically important position along the Indian Ocean. As global economic shifts and geopolitical factors elevate the significance of the Indo-Pacific, India finds itself at a crucial juncture. However, its ambition to become a maritime power faces multiple challenges – from conventional security threats to climate change, pollution, frequent cyclones, etc. These issues could have serious consequences for our coastal communities, maritime trade, blue economy ambitions, and the geopolitics of the region. A 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report warned that since the 1950s, the Indian Ocean has been warming faster than any other ocean. It has led to a 20 per cent decrease in phytoplankton population in the western Indian Ocean. Rising sea levels also pose a severe threat to major coastal urban centers like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata – critical for maritime trade and the national economy – and increase the risk of flooding, contamination of underground drinking water, and damage to infrastructure. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) reported in 2021 that Catch of oil sardine has experienced a drop of 75 per cent along the Kerala coast compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, mega development projects like Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra are being criticised for displacing fishing communities and harming the region's marine ecosystem. On the geopolitical front, countries like China, which have developed a strategic framework called 'String of Pearls' (or a network of ports and military bases) pose challenges to India's maritime influence in the Indian Ocean Region. However, India has launched key initiatives such as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Maritime India Vision 2030, and actively participates in regional platforms like BIMSTEC and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to promote maritime security and regional cooperation. Currently, about 30 per cent of India's population resides in coastal regions, and the blue economy contributes 4 per cent to the GDP. However, India's Exclusive Economic Zone, extending 200 nautical miles into the sea, remains largely unexplored and represents significant untapped potential. The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has proposed adding a ninth mission, the National Coastal Mission, to the National Action Plan on Climate Change. It aims to address climate change threats to coastal zones, mangroves, corals, and promote better and sustainable use of marine resources. India is also in the final stage of formulating its blue economy policy which aims to ensure the optimal utilisation of all sectors of the maritime domain – including living and non-living resources, tourism, ocean energy – for sustainable development of coastal areas. Oceans support life both on and beneath the Earth, sustaining biodiversity and fulfilling essential environmental, ecological, and socio-economic needs. Yet, these vital ecosystem services are increasingly threatened by the multifold crises of climate change, overexploitation, pollution, and geopolitical tensions. To support the implementation of SDG 14 – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development – UN Ocean Conference, 2025 is being co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. The theme of the Conference is, accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean. To sum up, unwavering global cooperation and conservation efforts are critical to safeguard ocean health, ensure secure and smooth maritime trade, and build resilient global supply chains. How does the UN Ocean Conference 2025 seek to advance the goals of SDG 14 on ocean conservation and sustainable use? The health and sustainable management of our oceans are not merely environmental concerns but fundamental to our planet's life support systems and global economic stability. Comment. How does ocean warming impact marine biodiversity, and what does the 2023–2025 coral bleaching event reveal about the resilience of coral ecosystems? How are climate change-induced threats—like rising sea levels and coral bleaching—affecting the socio-economic security of India's coastal communities? (Abhinav Rai is a Doctoral candidate at the Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.)
IOL News
5 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
How the ocean economy sustains livelihoods and ecosystems
Dr Francis Vorhies is the co-director of the African Wildlife Economy Institute at Stellenbosch University. Image: Supplied Dr Francis Vorhies The theme for World Oceans Day 2025, celebrated annually on the 8th of June, is 'Wonder: Sustaining what sustains us'. The hosts, the United Nations (UN) Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, introduces this theme as follows: The ocean is our world's greatest wonder, a seemingly endless source of sustenance, potential, wisdom, and awe. From the marine life that produces our oxygen, medicines, and food, to its natural infrastructures that sequester carbon and buffer shores, every diverse element of the ocean—across both its biodiversity and composition—supports humanity in a multitude of ways. The wonder of the ocean's support for humanity, and hence the need to use its resources sustainability is also a core theme of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference following on from the Oceans Day event immediately in Nice, France. A highlight of the Conference will be an action panel on advancing sustainable ocean-based economies and coastal community resilience. Economy The concept paper prepared by the UN Secretariat for this panel contains information on the economic contribution of the oceans which could only be described as wonderful: The ocean economy is about 4% of the global economy doubling over the last two decades and growing at a faster rate than the rest of the global economy. If the ocean were a country, it would rank alongside France and the UK as one of the largest economies in the world with a value of at least $2.6 trillion. At least 600 million livelihoods depend on the ocean economy. International trade in ocean goods and services has been reaching record levels. Major sectors of the ocean economy are linked directly to the use of wild marine species, notably marine-based tourism and primary marine fisheries. Africa In Africa, the wonder of the ocean economy is its amazing contribution to economic development and rural livelihoods. The African Development Bank has estimated that the fisheries sector generates $24 billion annually and provides jobs for 12 million people. The Nairobi Convention also highlights the potential for coastal and marine tourism, noting that in South Africa alone it is expected to contribute $1.4 billion and provide for 116,000 jobs by 2026. The African Union (AU) is projecting that this economy will be worth at least $400 billion by 2030 and provide over 55 million job opportunities. Hence, the AU has established a Blue Economy Division with the aim of optimising existing sectors of the blue economy and unlocking new sectors. The African oceans (within the Exclusive Economic Zones) cover about 13 million square kilometres compared to the continent's landmass of about 30 million square kilometres. Africa's coastline stretches about 30,000 kilometres and approximately 150 million people live in coastal areas. Africa's ocean economy has the potential to lift millions of people out of poverty through the production of a vast array marine-based goods and services—that is, if this economy can grow sustainably. All the usual challenges facing our oceans will be addressed at the upcoming UN Ocean Conference. Climate These include worsening climate change impacts; plastic waste; the scourge of illegal, unreported and unregulated industrial fishing; the potentially devastating effects that overtourism; and the spread of invasive species. Can these threats to a sustainable ocean economy be tackled? Can marine ecosystems be protected and wild marine resources harvested sustainably? The ocean economy is a highly complex system and the Conference's concept paper rightly concludes that 'Holistic policies and integrated management are needed to ensure healthy and productive ocean ecosystems, while enabling the long-term sustainable use of marine and coastal resources. Identifying the multitude of threats, assessing their diverse impacts, developing holistic policies, and implementing integrated management systems is no easy task. For many, it may seem so daunting that they despair at the possibility of ever finding sustainable solutions. Facing these challenges, the hosts of World Oceans Day 2025 rightly respond: If the warnings haven't motivated us, wonder is what will. The ocean's wonder is what draws us in and often drives our desire to protect it…. In the face of increasingly daunting challenges, the act of wondering serves to remind us that we are part of something bigger. It wakes us up to our inherent connection to the earth and to each other…The ocean economy unlocks this wonder to the millions of people living in Africa's coastal areas. It opens the ocean to entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors; to small and medium enterprises; and to markets across the continent and beyond. With good governance, inclusive access, accountability, and transparency, a modern-day ocean economy can preserve the wonders of the ocean for generations to come. Yes, it is complex and challenging, but it is indeed a wonderful opportunity. *Vorhies is the co-director of the African Wildlife Economy Institute at Stellenbosch University. Weekend Argus
Metro
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
The moment in David Attenborough's Ocean that will haunt me forever
After almost 100 years on planet Earth, Sir David Attenborough marks his birthday today with a stark warning that the oceans are heading into an underwater apocalypse – but there is hope. Ocean arrives in cinemas today ahead of the UN's Oceans Day on June 8, which is campaigning for 30% of the world's oceans to be protected from exploitation and reckless overfishing. As it stands, just 3% of the world's oceans are protected this way – those areas have been essentially abandoned by fishermen, and as a result, they're flourishing. Almost every country on Earth has agreed to make this happen on paper – now they have to keep their promise. Visually, Ocean is Attenborough's most impressive work across his 60-year broadcasting career. He says himself that even during his lifetime, the ocean was widely thought of as a vast, deserted wilderness – a mysterious realm. We've been left to imagine what lies beneath the ocean's surface. It's only now we know the colour and life that thrives across huge areas larger than the Sahara desert, with millions of species vital to keep the ocean successfully operating. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Few, if any, documentaries before Ocean have captured its wonder and magic with such cinematic scope. Attenborough has long called for protection of the oceans, and in his later years has spent most of his energy making the passionate plea to save the planet that's been his home for a century. Ocean might be his most compelling argument yet, and one moment in particular will haunt me for years to come. After 30 minutes of celebrating the extraordinary life in our waters, Ocean takes a turn. The tide shifts, and for the first time, we see camera footage taken from beneath a trawler, capturing the total devastation left in its wake. Trawler fishing sees huge ships storm across the water, dragging giant nets and chains across the ocean floor, wiping out entire ancient ecosystems in minutes. Areas as large as the Amazon rainforest, bursting with life, are wiped out every year. I've never seen anything quite so heartbreaking in any of Attenborough's damning body of work – it's essentially a war zone with the bodies piling up before our eyes. He then tells us that only 25% of the fish caught are actually kept, the rest is just thrown out as waste. It's happening everywhere – aside from the aforementioned protected 3% of the ocean – including right here on British shores. Seabeds around the UK are being taken out for the sake of a few scallops, and despite the international pledge to protect the oceans, all of this is entirely legal and even encouraged by many governments. All coral reefs are predicted to die in the next 30 years Less than 3% of the global ocean is protected, but in reality, that means basically none is really protected We have now killed two-thirds of all predatory fish Three billion people depend on the ocean for food Seagrass meadows exist all across the globe, absorb twice as much carbon as the rainforests, while ocean plankton absorbs a third of all carbon emissions and creates half the air we breathe An area the size of the Amazon rainforest is trawled every year, releasing carbon dioxide and warming our planet Sharks and tortoises survived the dinosaurs – but they won't survive us, warns Attenborough. Two-thirds of all large predatory fish have been killed, largely due to trawling. Ocean is packed with chilling facts which perhaps have been told through many versions of Attenborough's various pleas to save the planet before it's too late but in this, his big screen appeal, it hits so much harder. It's both a feast for the eyes, celebrating this wonderful world beneath the surface we know so little about, and a horror film about how we're swiftly destroying it beyond repair. It does, however, stress that there is so much hope and a future that can so easily be built for the ocean and everything in it. At no point does Attenborough or anyone else in the film suggest we should stop eating fish to protect the ocean. The onus is entirely on careless overfishing and the vast amount of waste it produces. If anything, Ocean stresses that it is not against fishing entirely, but without conservation, there is no fish. All life came from the ocean, and all life depends on the ocean. While we're living in the greatest age of ocean discovery, we're also living in the greatest age of ocean destruction and all life – including human – will not survive at its current rate. Parts of the ocean that have been untouched by fishing, which Attenborough calls 'no take zones', are recovering at a much greater rate than anyone could have predicted – they're thriving and flourishing beyond recognition. Wildlife thought to be on the brink of extinction is being found in great numbers again. It's hard to imagine watching the credits roll and not being deeply affected by Ocean for a long time. It's as beautiful at times as it is stark in others, and yes, there is the promise of hope that all is not a lost cause. More Trending But that hope can only survive through action, and watching Ocean isn't enough. Cutting down on the consumption of fish isn't enough. The future is dependent on governments taking overfishing as seriously as they would to a terrorist attack on their own land. My hope is in Attenborough and the message he will eventually leave behind. My fear is that the only people who can make the change happen aren't listening. Ocean with David Attenborough is now screening in cinemas nationwide, airs Sunday, June 8 at 8pm on National Geographic and streams the same day on Disney+. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: 'Don't ever call David Attenborough a national treasure – even if he is one' MORE: How to watch 'one of the most important movies' in David Attenborough's career MORE: Doctor Who's moral lectures are becoming harder to justify
