As the World Ocean Day is round the corner, Anushka Singh explains its significance and how it promotes and furthers interest of members of the public in the protection of the world’s oceans. Also, it fosters their interest towards sustainable management of the ocean’s resources and the by-products of related processes and activities such as food, recreation, livelihoods, etc.
On 8 June every year, the world observes World Ocean Day – an international day that celebrates the importance of oceans for life on Earth and raises awareness about the threats it faces from human activities and climate change. It was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2008.
Presently, the World Ocean Day also supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially SDG 14: Life Below Water. A very important SDG, it aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and other marine resources.
World Ocean Day also promotes and furthers interest of members of the public in the protection of the world’s oceans. Additionally, it fosters their interest towards sustainable management of the ocean’s resources and the by-products of related processes and activities such as food, recreation, livelihoods, etc.
For a healthy and clean ocean
Oceans and marine biodiversity play crucial role in several ecological and environmental systems and processes that are important for human survival. World Ocean Day encourages people to take action throughout the year to protect the ocean and its biodiversity. The day also reminds and encourages governments to come together and communities to work towards a healthy and clean ocean.
On this day, several activities such as workshops, screenings, talks, competitions, beach clean-ups, etc., are conducted in schools, colleges even offices to spread awareness on the issues plaguing the world’s oceans and provide sustainable solutions. World Ocean Day is a reminder of mankind’s collective responsibility to protect and restore this vital natural and fragile resource for present and future generations.
The importance of oceans
Apart from the fact that oceans comprise a huge portion of the earth as they cover more than 70 per cent of the earth’s surface and contain 97 per cent of the Earth’s water, they are also responsible for generating half of Earth’s oxygen. Oceans also serve as efficient carbon sinks as they absorb 30 per cent of the carbon dioxide produced by humans and anthropogenic activities thereby mitigating the effect of global warming.
Oceans are indispensable for human life and for life on Earth. As a major component in the water cycle, oceans are responsible for 78 per cent of global precipitation and 86 per cent of global evaporation. They play a very important role in regulating the climate and climatic systems by storing solar radiation, distributing heat and moisture and catalysing weather systems.
Life first originated in the ocean billions of years ago. Today, millions of humans are directly or indirectly dependent on oceans for survival. Marine life is extremely diverse and as per UN estimates, more than three billion people globally rely on oceans (marine and coastal biodiversity) for livelihoods. An estimated USD three trillion per year economy or five per cent of global GDP is derived from oceans and its resources.
Oceans are also very rich in biodiversity. More than 2,00,000 species living in the oceans have been identified as yet. Marine biodiversity is important for human survival as they’re part of the ecological processes on the planet.
Marine biodiversity is important for circulation of matter – water and nutrients, for capturing and storing energy and for regulating the climate by way of atmospheric gases.
Of more than 2,00,000 marine species recorded are only a fraction of what exists in the ocean. According to a study based on the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and published in Current Biology, the ocean may be home to 7,00,000 marine species.
Threat to oceans, marine life
The oceans are heavily affected by human activities that often have a detrimental effect such as marine pollution, ocean warming, damaged and depleted fisheries, disruption in coastal habitats, acidification of ocean and depletion of oxygen in the water that leads to destruction of marine life.
The carbon emissions are very harmful for oceans and marine life. They reduce the quality of coastal waters. Eutrophication – a process by which a water body becomes progressively enriched with minerals and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus thereby leading to blooming of unwanted plants – leads to increase in harmful algae that further depletes the ocean of vital oxygen and kills marine life.
Human activities such as overfishing, pollution, waste dumping, carbon emissions, introduction of invasive species, etc. are causing deoxygenation, habitat loss, depletion of marine species, destruction of extremely sensitive coral reefs, disruption of food chains, etc. They are also causing chemical pollution such as oil spill, noise pollution, light pollution, plastic pollution, etc., that endanger marine life.
Waste in oceans
One of the major causes of pollution in the ocean is plastic. Over 300 million tons of plastic is produced every year. Of it, a very significant chunk, 14 million tons, ends up in the Earth’s oceans. Shockingly, plastic comprises 80 per cent of the marine debris.
Land-based plastic that pollutes oceans comes from rainwater runoff, sewer overflow, waste dumps, littering, industrial activities, etc. Ocean-based plastic polluting the world’s oceans comes from fishing industry activities, maritime activities, etc.
Plastic in water is harmful for marine species that may ingest it or get entangled in it. Sea birds, turtles, fish, etc., often ingest plastic mistaking it for food and sustain internal injuries, lacerations and even die. Sea birds often get entangled in plastic debris floating on the ocean and get injured or die.
The plastic from the world collects in patches in the oceans and there are five such massive patches of plastic that disrupt natural marine ecosystem. They cover huge areas – one such patch, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, covers 20 million square km of water which is bigger than the combined area of the five largest states of the US.
The new threat
Development and modernisation have led to new types of waste that are harming the world’s oceans. One such category that has been causing immense damage to the environment is electronic waste or e-waste.
Most of the time, e-waste is not directly dumped into the water. The toxic chemicals of the electronics end up in the water bodies from landfills and direct runoff. These chemicals cannot be broken down by natural processes and end up contaminating the water.
Electronic devices contain several toxic and hazardous chemicals even heavy metals, used in the production process or in the gadget itself, which are very harmful for the environment, marine life and human health. These chemicals pollute marine life and can kill sea mammals, corals and fish.
For example, Mercury used in circuit boards, batteries, etc., can end up in the food chain and stay for a long time. It gets bio-accumulated in marine food chains and is very harmful for marine life.
Mercury can impair growth and reproduction processes in fish, damage sensory processes, alter the blood and oxygen exchange process, etc. As it moves up the food chain, it can contaminate humans and cause severe health problems.
Cadmium, a highly toxic chemical used in rechargeable computer batteries, switches, etc. can also bio-accumulate and apart from damaging marine life, affect human kidneys and bones.
A collective approach and changing consumer behaviour and patterns can solve the e-waste problem. As a consumer, one must push for producer responsibility for end-of-life waste management. There is also a need for research and product design for use of non-toxic materials, increased product life, easy repairing options, etc. Stopping unnecessary purchase, stricter regulations and smarter disposal and recycling options can go a long way in decreasing e-waste in oceans.
Anushka Singh works with DraftCraft International as a Media Researcher and writes mostly on issues affecting the Fourth Estate. She likes reading contrarian literature and analysing sources of news.