Accra, June 8, GNA – The government is calling on the public, especially coastal dwellers, to take effective steps to protect, conserve and restore the ocean as one of the crucial measures to adapt to the fallout from the climate crisis.
Doing that would also keep the ocean healthy and productive to serve the diverse needs especially harvesting of fisheries.
A statement issued by the Public Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation and copied to the Ghana News Agency to commemorate this year’s World Ocean Day said the ocean and seas were an essential climate solution, as they store carbon that was driving climate change.
This year’s celebration theme is, “Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing”.
The celebration reflects the importance of the ocean for all life forms on earth and has been selected to promote public awareness and actions for sustainable ocean management.
The objective of the celebration is to educate the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean’s protection, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world’s oceans.
It therefore called for collaboration between Governments, organizations and individuals to develop sustainable ocean management plans for effective ocean governance and protection.
The statement reiterated the need to protect and restore the world’s ocean that connects us all by taking action locally and on a global scale inspiring change in the management and utilization of the world’s oceans.
It urged stakeholders in the sector to ensure greater and smarter investments into ocean action as the country’s ocean-scape was mainly financed through public, philanthropic and donor resources.
“Ocean tides are changing; hence, the need to generate a new wave of excitement towards cherishing and protecting our ocean and blue planet,” it said.
Therefore, let us use this day as a catalyst for social change; to underscore humanity’s connectivity to the ocean, illustrate its cross-sector potential, and chart
a path to a cleaner, healthier and sustainable ocean for both ourselves and posterity.
The United Nations General Assembly, by its resolution 63/111 of 5th December, 2008, designated the 8th June of every year as World Oceans Day.
GNA