PHNOM PENH: The United Nations and ASEAN today warned that oceans that provide an abundance of food and jobs for millions around the world are facing numerous threats and are in dire need of attention.
The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, in his message on World Oceans Day 2025, urged global governments and partners to collectively protect the vast oceans from growing pollution and prevent exploitation of marine resources.
“Our ocean has not only shaped cultures, stirred imaginations, and inspired wonder across the ages; it also supplies the air we breathe, the food we eat, the jobs we need and the climate we count on.
“But today, the ocean needs our help. The distress signals are clear – from plastic-choked waters to collapsing fish populations and loss of marine ecosystems, from rising temperatures to rising seas,” said Guterres.
World Oceans Day is celebrated on June 8, with this year’s theme “Wonder: Sustaining what sustains us”.
According to the UN, the ocean produces at least 50 per cent of the planet’s oxygen, is home to most of Earth’s biodiversity, and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people.
It will also be a lifeline to about 40 million people who are being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030, said the UN website.
But over the years, 90 per cent of big fish populations have depleted and 50 per cent of coral reefs have been destroyed, as people continue to exploit marine resources on a large scale without replenishing them.
In the region, ASEAN echoed a similar message, warning of multiple threats to the seas – from pollution to climate change.
“Across ASEAN, our seas support livelihoods, feed millions and hold vast natural and cultural heritage.
“However, our oceans are under threat from pollution, overexploitation and climate change. ASEAN joins the global call to protect and sustainably manage our marine ecosystems for generations to come,” the regional grouping said in a Facebook posting today.
Global leaders are gathering to attend the third UN Ocean Conference co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France from June 9 to 13, 2025.
