"We live on a blue planet, with oceans and seas covering more than 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface. Oceans feed us, regulate our climate, and generate most of the oxygen we breathe.

But growing threats such as marine pollution, sea-level rising and over-fishing damage these aspects of our lives and infringe on the human rights attached to them. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) research shows, for example, that plastic pollution leakage into aquatic ecosystems has risen sharply in recent years and is projected to more than double by 2030.

In October 2021, the UN Human Rights Council recognized for the first time that a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a human right - a landmark move in the fight against the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss and pollution and waste. 

On this 10 December observance of Human Rights Day, the head of UNEP’s Marine and Freshwater branch, Leticia Carvalho, outlines five reasons why a clean and healthy ocean is important for realizing human rights obligations relating to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment."

1. The ocean is our life support system

2. The ocean provides food, jobs and livelihoods

3. The ocean helps fight the climate crisis

4. The ocean is home to vast biodiversity

5. The ocean provides wellbeing benefits to all humanity

Please read the full article here https://bit.ly/3JCnHtd

Credits: UN Environment Programme