Millions of people from across the world celebrate World Oceans Day on June 8. This year’s theme for the Day is “Our oceans, our future” and is connected to the Ocean Conference taking place from 5 to 9 June in New York

The oceans cover about two-thirds of the surface of the Earth and are the very foundations of life. They generate most of the oxygen we breathe, absorb a large share of carbon dioxide emissions, provide food and nutrients and regulate climate. They are important economically for countries that rely on tourism, fishing and other marine resources for income and serve as the backbone of international trade.

Unfortunately, human pressures, including overexploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, destructive fishing, as well as unsustainable aquaculture practices, marine pollution, habitat destruction, alien species, climate change and ocean acidification are taking a significant toll on the world’s oceans and seas.

The World Oceans Day is celebrated each year on 8 June and gives the opportunity to consider the pressure our oceans are facing.
This year’s theme for the Day is “Our oceans, our future” and is connected to the Ocean Conference taking place from 5 to 9 June at United Nations headquarters in New York.

At the Ocean Conference, the UN Environment /MAP is co-organising the following three side-events to further focus the international policy discussion on Mediterranean regional best practices and lessons learnt:

• A multi-stakeholders governance for tackling marine litter in the Mediterranean Sea

Lead organizer: Legambiente Onlus
Co-organizers: UN Environment/MAP, Italian Ministry of Environment, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN-Mediterranean), EEA, Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat (UfMS), European Bioplastics, Environmental Alliance for the Mediterranean, Kyoto Club

• Regional Marine Protected Areas networks in action, Thursday, 8 June 2017

Lead organiser: Mediterranean Protected Areas Network (MedPAN) Co-organisers: CaMPAM, RMPAO, NAMPAN, WIOMSA, HELCOM, UN Enivronment/MAP, French Biodiversity Agency

• Implementation of the ecosystem approach at the regional level for the coordinated achievement of the targets of SDG14, Thursday, 8 June 2017

Lead organiser:  European Commission; UN Environment/Mediterranean Action Plan-Barcelona Convention and General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean

On the occasion of World Oceans Day, SPA/RAC is publishing a new poster on Posidonia meadows, one of the most emblematic ecosystems in the Mediterranean, which contribute to the richness of our sea and to our well-being. For your events, you can, if you wish, obtain hard copies of the poster by sending a request to SPA/RAC secretariat: car-asp@rac-spa.org

For more information about the World Oceans Day and the events organised, please visit: http://www.worldoceansday.org/events_list or : http://www.un.org/en/events/oceansday/

To find out more on the Oceans conference, please visit: https://oceanconference.un.org/