World Oceans Day
June 8th 2024
On June 8th, World Oceans Day is celebrated, an important occasion to reflect on the importance of the oceans as a resource and to promote concrete actions aimed at their conservation. Officially established by the United Nations in 2008, this day is an opportunity to raise public and institutional awareness of the problems facing our oceans and the need to protect these immense natural resources.
The importance of the oceans
The oceans are our greatest resource of richness: they cover over 70% of the Earth's surface and play a crucial role in climate regulation, oxygen production and are a source of livelihood for millions of people. They are home to extraordinary biodiversity, with thousands of marine species that depend on these habitats for their survival. In addition, oceans are crucial to the global economy, supporting sectors such as fisheries, tourism and maritime trade.
Despite their importance, the oceans are now more than ever under siege.
The main threats include:
Pollution: marine waters are increasingly contaminated by plastics, heavy metals, chemicals and industrial waste. Plastic, in particular, poses a serious threat to marine life, with millions of tonnes ending up in the oceans every year.
Climate change: rising global temperatures cause sea levels to rise, oceans to acidify and polar ice to melt. These changes have devastating effects on marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Overfishing: intensive and illegal fishing, together with the destruction of natural habitats, has brought many marine species to the brink of extinction.
Loss of biodiversity: the degradation of coastal habitats, such as coral reefs and mangroves, threatens the survival of many species and reduces the resilience of marine ecosystems.
Act different for ocean conservation
World Oceans Day is a time to take action and promote marine conservation. There are many actions we can take such as reducing plastics, supporting sustainable fishing by purchasing fish products certified for marine conservation. It is important to protect marine habitats by actively participating in, for example, beach clean-up initiatives, but also by informing and raising awareness about all possible solutions for lasting change.
Commitment, protection and defence
Commitment, protection and defence are the cornerstones of individual safety that BLS promotes on a daily basis, but on days like today we want to emphasise how the security of our planet also affects our health. That is why today we want to celebrate commitment, protection and defence as cornerstones of safeguarding our greatest resource: the oceans.
Our partner Giovanni Soldini has also always promoted this concept and together we are committed to promoting and developing innovative solutions that protect the health of our planet as much as that of our workers.
Protecting the oceans is a collective responsibility that requires the commitment of each and every one of us. Only through conscious and concerted action can we hope to preserve these extraordinary ecosystems for future generations. Let us therefore celebrate this day not only with reflection, but with determination and concreteness, to ensure a sustainable future for the oceans and the life they sustain.
To continue breathing pure air, we must think about the future of our planet.
Stay informed
Stay safe.
