World Oceans Day 2023: Check Theme, History & Significance of the day here

 World Oceans Day is celebrated every year on June 8 by all UN member states to raise awareness about the importance of oceans. The oceans cover around seventy percent of the Earth and are home to numerous organisms. World Oceans Day is a reminder that oceans play an integral role in sustaining life on this planet.

Every year, more and more of the life in oceans is facing threats and destruction because of human activities. Through World Oceans Day, the message of protecting the oceans and using their resources sustainably is spread.

World Oceans Day 2023

World Oceans Day 2023 will be celebrated on a global level to educate people about the importance of the ocean and the ways in which we can care for it. This year, the day will be hosted by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs, partnered with Oceanic Global.

Recognizing the importance of the occasion, the United Nations adopted World Ocean Day in 2008. This day highlights the consequences of human actions on oceans and encourages people to be more sustainable. Find out more about Ocean Day from the table shared below.

Day	World Oceans Day
Celebrated	June 8 (every year)
Established by	International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD), Canada
World Oceans Day 2023 Theme	“Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing”
Objective	To raise awareness about the result of human activities on the oceans and to motivate people to use the ocean’s resources sustainably

World Oceans Day 2023 Theme

On World Ocean Day, the United Nations announces a new theme for global celebrations. Every year, a number of conferences, seminars, and discussions are held on the theme. Representatives from many countries join these discussions to share ideas on how to save the oceans.

World Oceans Day 2023 theme is “Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing”. Through this theme, the United Nations want to spread the message that oceans are the reason why we exist and therefore, we should put oceans first.

World Oceans Day Theme (2009-2023)

Through a dedicated theme, Ocean Day aims to highlight the key problems in the world’s oceans and their solutions. Check out the World Ocean Day theme from the years 2009 to 2023 here.

Year	World Oceans Day Theme
2023	“Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing”
2022	"Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean”
2021	"The Ocean: Life & Livelihoods”
2020	"Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean"
2019	"Gender and Oceans"
2018	"Clean our Ocean!”
2017	"Our Oceans, Our Future"
2016	"Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet ⁠— Voyaging to a Sustainable Planet: Arrival of the Hōkūle‘a”
2015	"Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet"
2014	"Ocean Sustainability: Together let's ensure oceans can sustain us into the future"
2013	"Oceans & People"
2012	"UNCLOS @ 30" — United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)”
2011	"Our Oceans: greening our future”
2010	"Our Oceans: Opportunities and Challenges”
2009	"Our Oceans, Our Responsibilities"

World Ocean Day History

International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD), Canada, first ideated World Oceans Day in 1992. In 2008, the day was adopted by the United Nations to raise global awareness about the deteriorating condition of the oceans. Here is some important information on the history of Ocean Day.

• In 1992, the Earth Summit, UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• At the summit, the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) and the International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) shared their idea for World Ocean Day.
• In 2002, this day was celebrated on a global level for the first time.
• In 2008, the United Nations adopted Ocean Day to raise awareness about the importance of oceans and the need for their conservation throughout the world.

Ocean Day Significance

Oceans are more important to the sustenance of life on Earth than it may seem. World Oceans Day raises awareness about the role of the oceans in helping humans survive. Here are some of the reasons why Ocean Day is significant.

• Oceans are home to thousands of species.
• Around 50% of the planet’s oxygen is produced by the oceans.
• The livelihood of a significant number of people in the world is dependent on the oceans.
• World Ocean Day is significant because it raises awareness about the threats that our oceans face.
• Around 50% of the total coral reefs in the oceans are already destroyed.
• The population of big fishes is also decreasing rapidly.
• Ocean Day encourages people to take action and reduce the amount of damage that human activities have caused to the oceans.

World Oceans Day Activities

On World Ocean Day, a number of activities take place around the world. Every year, the United Nations hosts conferences and seminars to bring world leaders together to discuss preservation of the oceans. Here are some of the World Ocean Day activities observed around the world.

• On this day, people educate themselves about the importance of the oceans and share their knowledge with others.
• Ocean Day is a great opportunity to take a pledge to use the ocean’s resources sustainably.
• This is also a day to realize that plastic is one of the main causes of ocean plastic pollution.
• On World Ocean Day, people come together to attend educational events and seminars.