A reminder of what we owe the ocean
World Ocean Day was launched in 1992 following the Rio Earth Summit. Its aim is to make June 8 of each year an international day to raise public awareness of the challenges of better management of the ocean and its resources. Like other global days initiated at the Rio Summit over thirty years ago, such as World Forest Day and World Water Day, this very special day is not merely symbolic. June 8 is a call to action for every citizen to raise the voice of the ocean. It is a reminder of the vital importance of protecting the ocean. Mobilization on June 8 is crucial, and this international day has a decisive role to play in raising awareness of the issue among citizens the world over.
The ocean covers most of the Earth, but only a small part of its waters has been explored. Today, it is estimated that we know only 4 to 6% of what is in our seas and oceans, which is like saying that we know more about the Moon than we do about most of what is on our own planet...
Despite humanity's immense dependence on the oceans, and the extent of what they provide for us, we give them only a tiny fraction of our attention. In fact, some 3.5 billion people depend directly on the sea for food - at least half the world's population. But above all, and we tend to forget this all too often, the ocean is the most important climate regulator we have. Thanks to the process of photosynthesis induced by the unicellular organisms of phytoplankton for the most part, and other algae, most of the oxygen we breathe (70%) comes from this veritable “lung” of the planet.
It's precisely for all these reasons that Act! with Surfrider strives to reach out to as many companies and their employees as possible, throughout France and Europe, to raise awareness of these vital issues. Through our masterclasses, the frescoes we present and the educational awareness-raising activities we organize, we point the finger at several facets of ocean pollution, such as plastic waste pollution, which has disastrous consequences for marine fauna; but also the link between climate change and the ocean, and the challenges of bathing water quality with chemical or bacteriological pollution. In our animations, we constantly make the link between the importance of healthy marine ecosystems for natural climate regulation and our own human health. They aim to demonstrate the beauty and absolutely vital role that the seas and oceans have played in our lives for thousands of years.
Today, however, it's vital to break away from this anthropocentric vision, which prevents us from seeing ocean preservation as an end in itself. Protecting the ocean is protecting life. It is imperative that this leitmotiv guides our actions every day. World Ocean Day exists to remind us of this.
