World Oceans Day

Observance day on or around June 8

"Ocean Day" redirects here; not to be confused with Marine Day, China National Maritime Day, or Día del Mar.

This section has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources.
Find sources: "World Oceans Day" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2019)

|

This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources.
Find sources: "World Oceans Day" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

The examples and perspective in this article may not include all significant viewpoints. Please improve the article or discuss the issue. (March 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. (August 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

World Ocean Day

A sunset over the White Sea

Observed by| All UN member states, including Argentina Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and the United States
Date| 8 June
Next time| 8 June 2026 (2026-06-08)
Frequency| Annual
First time| 8 June 1992; 33 years ago (1992-06-08)

World Ocean Day (WOD) is an international day that takes place annually on June 8. The concept was originally proposed in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[1] The Ocean Project started global coordination of World Ocean Day starting in 2002. "World Oceans Day" was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008. The international day supports the implementation of worldwide Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fosters public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources.[2] World Oceans Day is observed by all UN member states.

## History

[edit]

### The Original Initiative of World Oceans Day

[edit]

The Brundtland Commission (also known as the World Commission on Environment and Development) noted in the 1987 Brundtland Report that the ocean sector lacked a strong voice compared to other sectors.[3]

At the first World Ocean Day in 1992, the objectives were to move the ocean from the sidelines to the center of the intergovernmental and NGO discussions and policy and to strengthen the voice of ocean and coastal constituencies worldwide.[4]

## See also

[edit]

* Oceans portal

* Coral Triangle Day
* European Maritime Day
* Marine pollution
* Ocean governance
* Overfishing
* Spaceship Earth

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Swan, Judith. "About". United Nations. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
2. ^ "World Oceans Day, 8 June". www.un.org. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
3. ^ ARE, Federal Office for Spatial Development. "1987: Brundtland Report". www.are.admin.ch. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
4. ^ "World Oceans Day". World Celebration Days. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official United Nations World Oceans Day Website
* Official United Nations World Oceans Day Website (2009–2017)
* World Ocean Day website
* The Ocean Project website