The United Nations celebrates World Oceans Day every year on 8 June. Many countries have celebrated this special day since 1992, following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro. In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, as of 2009, 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as World Oceans Day. The 8th of June is an opportunity to raise global awareness of the benefits humankind derives from the ocean and our individual and collective duty to use its resources sustainably. Aquariums, science centers and research institutions, NGOs, communities and governments all around the world mobilize millions of people around events big and small. However, largely due to uneven diffusion of communication materials and lack of multilingual resources, many countries and some important segments such as Governments and the Scientific Community have not been engaged in the celebrations.
The main objective of this initiative is to develop a UN universal and multilingual portal that can help the ocean community discover whos mobilizing for World Oceans Day, use the available resources to bring World Oceans Day to institutions and communities, provide support to develop and plan World Oceans Day activities with the shared expertise of worldwide networks, inform about World Oceans Day events happening around the world.
The World Oceans Day Portal will also be a way to be kept informed about the actions the United Nations, governments and all stakeholders around the world are taking to carefully manage the essential global resource that is our ocean. The portal will provide resources for coastal communities, students, citizens, scientists to communicate their priorities to policymakers and show just how rooted and global is their commitment to the conservation of our ocean, our future.
Progress reports
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want
Type of commitment
- Activities to raise awareness of the comprehensive legal and policy framework for the sustainable development of oceans and seas, in particular UNCLOS, its Implementing Agreements and other relevant ocean-related instruments and promote their effective im
December 2017
Implement and develop a highly visible online platform to share resources, projects and people on World Oceans Day. Contributions of resources will be first provided by initiative partners, with provision for additional offerings from worldwide contributors
June 2017
UN wide and universal World Oceans Day Portal
June 2018
Develop the French and Spanish version of the World Oceans Day Portal
June 2018
Develop a database of resources on World Oceans Day and SDGs
