The ocean covers more than half our planet — but it's in trouble, and young people like you are its best hope.
The ocean covers more than half our planet — but it's in trouble, and young people like you are its best hope.
Every year on 8 June, the world comes together to celebrate World Oceans Day. It is a special day to remind us how important our oceans are and why we must protect them. Oceans cover about 71 percent of Earth's surface and are home to an incredible variety of life — from the tiniest plankton to the massive blue whale, the largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth. Here in Singapore, we are surrounded by the sea, and our history as a great trading port is deeply connected to the ocean.
Oceans do so much more than just look beautiful. They produce more than half of the oxygen we breathe, thanks to tiny ocean plants called phytoplankton. They also absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide, helping to slow down climate change. Oceans regulate our weather and rainfall patterns, which means they influence whether farmers can grow food and whether cities like Singapore stay cool enough to live in comfortably. The ocean even feeds billions of people around the world, providing fish and seafood as a vital source of protein.
Sadly, our oceans are facing serious threats. Plastic pollution is one of the biggest problems — millions of tonnes of plastic waste enter the ocean every year, harming sea turtles, dolphins, seabirds, and fish. Many marine animals mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and swallow them, which can be fatal. Coral reefs, sometimes called the rainforests of the sea because they support so much life, are being destroyed by rising ocean temperatures and pollution. Singapore has its own coral reefs around the Southern Islands, and scientists and volunteers work hard to protect and restore them.
The good news is that every single person can make a difference. Choosing reusable bags and bottles instead of single-use plastic helps reduce the amount of waste that ends up in the sea. Joining beach clean-up activities, like those organised along East Coast Park and Sentosa, directly removes rubbish from coastal areas. Eating sustainably sourced seafood and learning about marine conservation are also powerful steps. This World Oceans Day, let us all make a promise — to treat the ocean with the respect and care it deserves, because a healthy ocean means a healthy planet for all of us.
