Countries should stop the degradation of marine environment, the United Nations chief said, as he noted that oceans affect virtually all aspects of life on Earth.
“Let us work together to create new waves of action for ocean sustainability—for people and the planet,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said on World Oceans Day, June 8.
“From trade to food to climate regulation, the oceans are integral to all of humanity. This is particularly so for coastal dwellers whose income and culture are irrevocably bound to the sea,” he added.
“If we are to fully benefit from the oceans, we must reverse the degradation of the marine environment due to pollution, overexploitation and acidification,” Ban said.
A new report in August 2012 pegged the health of the world’s oceans at 60 points in a 100-point index.
Among the 10 indicators in the Ocean Health Index, food provision got the lowest score of only 23 out of 100. The highest score (87 points) was in artisanal fishing opportunities.
The Philippines’ meanwhile scored lower than the global average, bagging an overall score of 51 points.
Its worst performance was in tourism and recreation where it was given a score of zero, as pressure posted by tourism (71 points) is higher than tourism resiliency (70 points).
The Philippines’ ocean health is also expected to further worsen in the short-term in eight out of the 10 indicators, the report said.
Only scores in food provision and sense of place are expected to post slight improvements of 0.007 percent and 0.15 percent respectively.
Since 2009, the world has been celebrating World Oceans Day on June 8 to raise global awareness of challenges faced by the international community on the marine environment.
Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com
Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com