The Ocean is Everything - Why World Oceans Day Matters More Than Ever
My summers always started with hot white sand sticking to my feet and the familiar salty, summer breeze mussing up my hair as I crashed into the waves. Jumping into the water felt like the welcoming hug of an old friend.
As someone born in the paradisiacal waters of the Caribbean, the turquoise sea around my home served as the backdrop to pretty much my entire childhood. I learned to swim in the shallow safety of the shore, rubber ducky floaties shining under the sun. I spent some of the best days of my life there with my family, alternating between swimming, kayaking, beach volleyball, and just about anything we could find to do in or near the water.
As I got older, however, I started to see that my beloved sea was far more than a playground - it was everything to us. Families would flock to the beach to spend time together, cooling down when the summer heat shifted from pleasant to downright suffocating. Fishermen in small local communities depended on the fish to feed their own families. Artists created exquisite pieces that showed our cultural history from items they found scattered around the beach, little treasures offered up by the waves.
The ocean even gives us the oxygen in the air we breathe, connecting us all to each other and to itself.
This World Oceans Day 2025 reminds us that the ocean isn't just a great vacation destination—it's keeping us alive.
Photo by Damian Dominguez
The Ocean's Hidden Superpowers
Our Underwater Oxygen Factory
Every breath you take is a gift from the ocean. Tiny organisms called phytoplankton - microscopic plants that drift in the sunlit surface waters - work around the clock to produce 50-80% of our oxygen through photosynthesis. These incredible little life forms outproduce all the rainforests on Earth combined.
Earth's Climate Control System
The ocean acts like our planet's thermostat and air conditioner rolled into one. It moves heat around the globe through massive currents, keeping weather patterns stable. Even more impressively, the ocean absorbs about 90% of the excess heat from climate change and roughly 30% of our carbon dioxide emissions. Without this oceanic climate service, our atmosphere would have nearly 50% more CO2, making Earth far less livable.
Photo by Hiroko Yoshii
The Challenges We're Facing Together
Our ocean superhero is facing some serious challenges, but we're already working on solutions.
Climate Pressure and Our Response
Rising sea levels, marine heatwaves, and ocean acidification are putting stress on marine ecosystems. The good news? Countries worldwide are implementing major climate agreements this year, and innovative technologies are helping us track and protect vulnerable marine areas more effectively than ever before.
Pollution and the Cleanup Movement
With millions of tons of plastic entering our oceans annually, pollution is a real problem. But the response has been incredible. In Europe alone, over 1,000 conservation initiatives under the EU Mission Ocean Charter have mobilized more than 8 billion euros for ocean protection. Communities everywhere are also organizing beach cleanups, developing plastic alternatives, and pushing for better waste management.
Overfishing and Sustainable Solutions
About one-third of fish stocks are currently overfished, threatening both marine ecosystems and the 3 billion people who depend on seafood for protein. The encouraging news is that sustainable fishing certifications are growing rapidly, marine protected areas are expanding, and consumers are increasingly choosing responsibly sourced seafood.
Photo by Jakob Owens
How We're Turning the Tide
The same human ingenuity that created these problems is now solving them. Simple choices make a real difference: choosing reusable water bottles, picking sustainably caught seafood, using reef-safe sunscreen, and participating in local beach cleanups. When millions of people make these choices, industries change to meet the demand.
The 2025 Opportunity
This year is particularly important for ocean protection, with major international agreements requiring implementation. Supporting ocean conservation organizations through donations, volunteering, or simply spreading awareness creates a ripple effect of positive change.
The ocean has been our planet's life support system for billions of years, silently working to keep us alive and our climate stable. Now it's our turn to be there for the ocean. Every action we take - from the seafood we choose to the organizations we support - helps ensure that future generations can experience that same magical feeling of diving into welcoming blue waters.
Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen
Ready to Dive Deeper? Check Out These Ocean Champions
These organizations are doing incredible work to protect our blue planet, and they'd love your support - whether through donations, volunteering, or simply spreading the word!
Ocean Conservancy - Leading the fight against plastic pollution and organizing beach cleanups worldwide | oceanconservancy.org
Oceana - The world's largest international organization focused solely on ocean conservation | oceana.org
The Nature Conservancy - Protecting coral reefs and marine habitats through science-based solutions | nature.org
Conservation International - Working with coastal communities to create marine protected areas | conservation.org
Marine Conservation Institute - Tracking global marine protection and establishing Blue Parks | marine-conservation.org
The Ocean Foundation - Supporting grassroots ocean conservation projects worldwide | oceanfdn.org
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - Protecting marine biodiversity and promoting sustainable fisheries | worldwildlife.org
Greenpeace - Campaigning against overfishing, whaling, and ocean pollution | greenpeace.org
The Ocean Cleanup - Developing technology to remove plastic from our oceans | theoceancleanup.com
CORAL (Coral Reef Alliance) - Helping coral reefs adapt to climate change | coral.org
Sources
"Climate Change Impacts on the Ocean and Marine Resources." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 17 Mar. 2025, www.epa.gov/climateimpacts/climate-change-impacts-ocean-and-marine-resources.
"How is Climate Change Impacting the World's Ocean." United Nations, www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/ocean-impacts.
"Ocean Conservation: How Individual Actions Can Protect Marine Ecosystems." Phox Water, 23 Oct. 2023, www.phoxwater.com/blogs/water/ocean-conservation-how-individual-actions-can-protect-marine-ecosystems.
"Ocean Life in Crisis: How Marine Species Loss Threatens Our Climate Resilience." Marine Biodiversity Science Center, 26 Mar. 2025, www.marinebiodiversity.ca/2025/03/ocean-life-in-crisis-how-marine-species-loss-threatens-our-climate-resilience/.
"Oceans." United Nations Sustainable Development, 7 Jan. 2015, www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/.
"Oceans and the Threats They Face." National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/ocean-threats.
"6 Opportunities for Ocean Conservation in 2025." World Resources Institute, www.wri.org/insights/opportunities-ocean-action-2025.
"Save Our Ocean | Ocean Conservation Strategies." The Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/protect-water-and-land/land-and-water-stories/protecting-our-ocean/.
"Why Protect Oceans?" Marine Conservation Institute, 3 Apr. 2020, marine-conservation.org/why-protect-the-ocean/.
