Photo Credit: Carlos Aguilera
World Oceans Day is an annual reminder that the oceans are our planet’s greatest natural resource and that we must take actions to protect them. The livelihoods of millions of people around the world depend on healthy oceans, yet they face threats including overfishing, acidification and marine pollution.
Fortunately, all eyes will be on the oceans this June through a series of international events designed to raise awareness, inspire positive policies and spark conversations between local governments, fishermen and conservationists about how to build a brighter future. Here are a few events to watch:
- Food & Agriculture Committee on Fisheries (COFI): On June 9-13, the FAO Committee on Fisheries will meet in Rome, Italy to finalize their guidelines for securing sustainable small-scale fisheries in the context of food security and poverty eradication. View the agenda here.
- Capitol Hill Oceans Week (CHOW): From June 10-12, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation will host a week of conferences, workshops, and seminars to discuss the future of the world’s oceans. Guests and speakers come together to bridge the gaps between non-profits, academia, industry, and more to discuss the conservation of the world’s oceans and its resources. Click here to learn more.
- State Department “Our Ocean Conference”: On June 16 & 17, Secretary of State John Kerry will convene an international conference of scientists, environmentalists and world leaders to discuss solutions for overfishing, ocean acidification and marine pollution. For those that can’t attend, you can follow along and contribute to the discussion through the #ourocean2014 hashtag on Twitter. Secretary Kerry and the Department of State will host delegates from around the world to discuss ocean issues. You can participate by registering for the Department of States’ Thunderclap.
- Global Ocean Commission Report Release: The independent Global Ocean Commission recently released research on the value of the ocean and will share its much-anticipated recommendations on June 24th. McKinsey & Company will also release a new report detailing the economics of the seas, promising a fundamental shift in how we should value the bounty of the ocean. Learn more here.
The world’s oceans are vital resources, and will continue to be for generations to come. EDF is committed to healthy oceans, fisheries and fishing communities. It is inspiring to see the international community focus on oceans. Thanks to World Oceans Day more will come to learn about the importance of our oceans, and what we can do to protect them.