World Oceans Day 2015: Healthy oceans, healthy planet
World Oceans Day, held every June 8th, is the United Nations-recognized day of ocean celebration and action. People all over our blue planet organize celebrations to support action to protect the ocean. This year, the theme is Healthy oceans, healthy planet. The global ocean is the largest and most valuable ecosystem on the planet, and as world population is set to grow to 9 billion by 2050, attention will turn to the ocean for vital resources – food, energy and minerals. Can the oceans meet this demand and survive the impact of pollution and climate change? Research at the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is already revealing the oceans’ role in weather, climate and catastrophic events such as hurricanes, drought and flooding. Executive Director of the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, Professor Ed Hill said: “The theme of this year’s World Oceans Day is 'Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet'. The oceans already provide valuable food resources and have the potential to yield so much more. We harvest energy from the sea – oil, gas and, increasingly, wave energy. Rare mineral deposits such as manganese, essential in so much of modern technology, are now being mined. But care needs to be taken ...
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