World Oceans Day is observed on June 8 each year, with the aim of celebrating the world’s shared ocean, raising awareness on the crucial role the ocean plays in people’s lives, as well as the important ways people can help protect it.
This year’s occasion features the theme ‘Revitalisation: Collective Action for the Ocean’ as well as the first hybrid celebration of the annual event, hosted in-person at the UN Headquarters in New York and broadcast live.
In line with World Oceans Day, representatives from three local NGOs spoke with the Bulletin about its significance.
BRINGING AWARENESS
Green Brunei is a social enterprise that aims to promote environmental sustainability through youth-led initiatives in the fields of education, conservation and advocacy.
Sharing her thoughts on World Oceans Day, Green Brunei co-founder and Community Engagement Director Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari said it helps bring awareness and celebrate the beauty of our ocean.
“Not many are aware the importance of the ocean for our ecosystem, as the ocean is not only a home to many marine lives, but also provides oxygen and it is the biggest producer.
“Human actions have disrupted the balance of our ocean and in turn contributed to climate change. It is our job to restore it back, to undo what we have done as much as we can,” she said.
She highlighted that the theme for this year’s occasion is aligned with today’s problems. “As the world is becoming more focussed in consumerism, it has become even more important for everyone to play a part – a collective action – in ensuring that the resources we use will not be detrimental to our environment in the long run. This responsibility also extends to corporations and businesses as much as it extends to us as consumers.”
Khairunnisa further noted that, as a country that traditionally relied on the oceans and rivers as a source of living, the message conveyed by the World Oceans Day 2022 very much reverberates with the Sultanate.
“While our population is small, plans must be in place for when the demand for fish and other seafood products increase as time goes by. Without proper care, we risk destroying the delicate balance of the ecosystem, which will surely cause a cascade of detrimental effects, resulting in the loss of biodiversity and environmental integrity.
“Therefore, upholding the principles of the World Oceans Day will always lead to the continued existence of pristine characteristics of Brunei Darussalam’s environment.”
World Oceans Day 2022 also very much aligns with Green Brunei’s main advocacy of environmental sustainability, said Khairunnisa. “In particular, the beach cleanups and educational talks on waste management has been a major platform in conveying the message on the Ocean’s important role. While Green Brunei does not have anything planned at this juncture, it can be expected that beach and river cleanups will resume following the shift into Brunei Darussalam’s endemic phase.”
Concluding, Khairunnisa said, “The ocean is the planet’s life support, it is our life support. To ensure a sustainable future, we must protect and preserve a healthy marine ecosystem.
World Oceans Day is just one day but through it, I hope people will continue to try to make choices that do not further damage our ecosystem. Please support businesses that contribute to helping our environment, join events that keep our coastal and waters clean, appreciate our natural heritage and help preserve what is left of it.”
Credit: Borneo Bulletin