Valencia, Spain
OCEAN DAY
The ocean day is celebrated globally on the 8th of June every year.
World Oceans Day is observed as a reminder of the destruction caused by human activities, such as garbage and sewage disposal and oil leaks. Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital for trade and transportation.
World Oceans Day was first suggested in 1992 during the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro. The aim was to raise awareness about what can be done to make it a part of sustainable development.
Then in 2008 the UN General Assembly designated June 8th as World Oceans Day.
How can the architecture and engineering sector protect and use the oceans?
The architecture and engineering sectors should take the relevance of the ocean into account when implementing projects. In addition, they should try to protect the ocean as much as possible. For example, by using recycled plastic bottles as building material in order to prevent plastic pollution of the ocean.
The ocean can also be a great inspiration when it comes to designing buildings. For example, houses could be built in the shape of sea creatures.
Moreover, the ocean provides additional space for life. As climate change destroys more and more land, making it uninhabitable, the ocean could be used as an additional habitat. Floating cities or underwater houses could be built and supply themselves with self-generated energy. This would also prevent overpopulation. Of course, it should also be considered that no animal habitat is destroyed and that the buildings which are constructed are environmentally friendly.
What are the problems our oceans are facing? And what can we do?
One of the most urgent problems facing the ocean now is plastic pollution. Reducing one-use plastic, including plastic bags and plastic bottles, has been an important theme for World Oceans Day for several years. Rising sea temperatures have a direct influence on weather patterns and are seen as partly responsible for an increase in extreme weather conditions.
Climate change arguably presents the greatest threat to ocean health. It is making oceans hotter, promoting acidification, and making it harder to breathe in them by reducing dissolved oxygen levels.
Today, only 2% of our global oceans are included in strongly protected marine parks. Scientists estimate we may need to protect 30% of the oceans to provide properly for the future of ocean wildlife and ocean health.
The ocean drives global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind.
Saving our ocean must remain a priority. Marine biodiversity is critical to the health of people and our planet. Marine protected areas need to be effectively managed, well-resourced and regulations need to be put into place to reduce overfishing, marine pollution, and ocean acidification.
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