Ocean: “a large mass of salt water that covers most of the Earth’s surface”. Yes, but that’s not all. The sea is an absolute prerequisite for life on Earth and has much more to offer, from the oxygen we breathe to the water we drink. This global resource also happens to bethe largest natural habitat on our planet and provides humankind with food, medicine and means of transportation.

The ocean is as generous as it is in danger: its limited resources are  increasingly threatened by the harmful effects of overexploitation, pollution, acidification and more generally climate change. So many alarming elements require the attention of the scientific community and governments, as well as ours, citizens.

World Oceans Day, celebrated each year on June 8 for over 25 years, is part of a wider effort to raise awareness and inform the public of these issues. Linked to human wellbeing and to our very survival on Earth, the conservation and sustainable use of our ocean is more than ever a vital necessity.

Beyond raising awareness, this Day is an opportunity to celebrate the cradle of mankind: let’s act to preserve the ocean so together we can achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14, aimed at protecting marine ecosystems.

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO actively contributes to the implementation of this SDG. The IOC holds a universal mandate and global convening power for ocean science and capacity development in support of the 2030 Agenda and its goals.