A plea for marine research on 8 June, World Oceans Day.

Understanding the oceans, their interactions with the atmosphere and the continents, the geochemical processes that occur in them and the organisms that inhabit them, is fundamental to preserving the health of our planet and thus to our future on Earth. We live on a ‘blue planet’ where the oceans play a vital role in climate regulation and social well-being. They influence precipitation and ambient temperature, affecting agricultural production and land-based water resources. The oceans are also a huge source of undiscovered biodiversity and a reservoir of biomolecules with applications we are not yet able to foresee. Increasingly high-tech marine research provides the knowledge needed to manage and conserve the oceans, ensuring that they remain healthy and resilient. It also supports the sustainability of the blue economy through fisheries, tourism and maritime trade.

On World Oceans Day, we at IMEDEA (UIB-CSIC) would like to remind you that investing in marine research is investing in the well-being of our planet and future generations.

Promoting ocean culture

At IMEDEA, we also emphasise the promotion of ocean culture through the European projects Erasmus+ (You4Blue) and Ocean Night, as well as other and diverse activities throughout the year.

A world day dedicated to the oceans 

In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly designated 8 June as ‘World Oceans Day’. This decision was an opportunity for the international community to work towards a better understanding of the global ocean and the creatures it harbours, as well as to raise awareness of its role in sustaining life and the challenges we, as a society, face in preserving it.

Despite the progress made, much remains to be done. This is why ‘Awakening new depths’ is the central theme of this year 2024, framed within the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences.