World Ocean Day UN warns of record ocean heat, acidification threat
The world’s oceans reached their warmest and most acidic levels on record over the past year, the United Nations said on World Ocean Day, warning that coral bleaching and falling fish stocks are accelerating.
In a statement, the UN’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission called for a fivefold increase in ocean observation funding, noting that less than 25% of international waters are fully covered by monitoring systems.
Separately, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in their World Ocean Day messages, urged stronger conservation measures and marine pollution controls to protect coastal livelihoods and biodiversity