Life on Earth depends on a healthy ocean.
The ocean covers 70% of our planet and is a key food source for 3 billion people. It regulates our climate and weather and produces over half of the world’s oxygen.
World Ocean Day, on June 8, reminds all of the ocean’s role in our lives and celebrates efforts to protect it from the effects of climate change, plastic pollution and other threats. The United States works with partners around the world to combat climate impacts on the ocean and to support sustainable fishing.
It encourages efforts to reach the global 30×30 target to conserve or protect 30% of the ocean by 2030, through efforts including the High Seas Treaty, a coordinated approach to establishing marine protected areas. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) works with countries through the Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program to safely manage plastics and prevent plastic pollution from entering the ocean.
The program is part of USAID’s Save Our Seas initiative, which has prevented more than 99,000 metric tons of plastic — the equivalent of 10 billion plastic bottles — from leaking into the environment. The United States and more than 170 countries are also negotiating a global agreement to end plastic pollution, including in the ocean.
Officials hope to finalize the agreement this year.
