The oceans play an invigorating role in our ecosystem – providing food and livelihood to people, and accounting for 50 per cent of the planet’s oxygen, as per the United Nations. It is known that 71 per cent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, of which the oceans make up as much as 96.5 per cent. Now, more than ever before, the health of these life-giving deep waters is under threat. At least 8 million tonnes of plastic is said to end up in the oceans every year, making up about 80 per cent of all marine debris, according to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The possibility of having a specific day to talk about oceans was first proposed in 1992 but the UN general assembly officially observed June 8 as ‘World Ocean Day’ only in 2008. It was celebrated for the first time in 2009. While the first theme focused on ‘Our Ocean, Our Responsibility’, the conversation has shifted in the last 12 years.