Ending the ¡°war on nature¡± must be part of global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres said on Tuesday in his message for World Oceans Day.
The annual commemoration on 8 June is a reminder of the major role oceans have in everyday life as ¡°the lungs of our Planet¡± and as a source of food and medicine.
Although this year¡¯s theme focuses on their importance for the cultural and economic survival of communities worldwide, the Secretary-General cited which confirmed that many of the benefits oceans provide are being undermined by human activity.
Pollution, overfishing, acidification
¡°Our seas are choking with plastic waste, which can be found from the remotest atolls to the deepest ocean trenches¡±, he said.
But the list does not end there. ¡°Overfishing is causing an annual loss of almost $90 billion in net benefits ¨C which also heightens the vulnerability of women, who are vital to the survival of small-scale fishing businesses¡±, he added.
¡°Carbon emissions are driving ocean warming and acidification, destroying biodiversity and causing sea level rise that threatens heavily inhabited coastlines.¡±
Sustainable Development link
World Oceans Day falls as countries continue to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis and the ongoing assault on oceans, seas and marine resources, the Secretary-General said.
With more than three billion people worldwide, mainly in developing countries, relying on the ocean for their livelihood, he called for action.
¡°As we strive to recover from COVID-19, let¡¯s end our war on nature¡±, Mr. Guterres said.
¡°This will be critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, keeping within reach the 1.5-degree target of the , and ensuring the health of our oceans for today¡¯s and future generations.¡±
Source: Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ News
