World Oceans Day is on 8 June. The ocean produces much of the oxygen we breathe, regulates the climate and feeds billions of people.
The date is 8 June.
How to use the World Ocean Day Countdown#
- Open the page. The world ocean day countdown starts as soon as the page loads and follows the clock on your device.
- Pick which one. Stay on the next World Ocean Day, or look a year further ahead.
- Read the date. World Oceans Day is on 8 June every year. The weekday is listed under the big number.
A day born at Rio#
The idea of a day for the oceans was put forward at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was celebrated informally for years, and in 2008 the United Nations General Assembly officially designated 8 June as World Oceans Day. Each year there’s a theme, such as plastic pollution, marine life or sustainable fishing.
What helps#
Beach clean-ups are the most visible action, and they’re best planned about a month ahead. Cutting down on single-use plastic, choosing sustainably caught seafood and learning about the coast near you all matter. For Nigerian readers, Lagos lagoon and the Atlantic coast are good places to start learning about local issues.
When is World Oceans Day in the next few years?#
World Oceans Day is on 8 June every year.
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 8 June | Tuesday |
| 2028 | 8 June | Thursday |
| 2029 | 8 June | Friday |
| 2030 | 8 June | Saturday |
| 2031 | 8 June | Sunday |
Why the ocean matters to everyone#
The ocean covers about 71 percent of the planet’s surface and holds roughly 97 percent of its water. It absorbs a large share of the carbon dioxide and heat that human activity adds to the atmosphere, and its plankton supply a large part of the oxygen we breathe. Hundreds of millions of people depend on fishing and coastal tourism for a living.
The pressures are well documented: plastic waste, overfishing, warming and acidification. The day exists to turn that into action, from policy to a single beach clean-up.
30 by 30 and the high seas#
The 2030 target most often cited on the day is to protect at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030, agreed by governments at the 2022 UN biodiversity conference in Montreal. In 2023, UN members also adopted a treaty on the high seas, the waters beyond any country’s control. Whether these commitments are enforced will decide whether the numbers mean anything, so look at what your own country has committed to.
Organising a clean-up#
A beach or lagoon clean-up needs more preparation than it looks. Get permission from the local authority, bring gloves, sacks and a first aid kit, and agree on a place to leave the full bags. Count and record what you collect, because the data is useful to researchers and campaigners.
| When | What to do | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 5 weeks out | Choose the site and ask permission | Tue 4 May 2027 |
| 3 weeks out | Invite volunteers and order supplies | Tue 18 May 2027 |
| 1 week out | Check the tide and the weather | Tue 1 June 2027 |
| On the day | Clean-up, then count and record the waste | Tue 8 June 2027 |
In 2027 the date is a Tuesday, which is a workday, so an evening or weekend clean-up close to it may attract more people.
Facts to keep in mind#
- The ocean’s average depth is about 3,700 metres, and the deepest point, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, is nearly 11,000 metres down.
- Millions of tonnes of plastic reach the sea each year, much of it from rivers. Cleaning a river bank can help the ocean as much as cleaning a beach.
- Mangroves, seagrass and salt marshes store carbon and protect coasts from storm damage, so protecting them counts as climate action.
- Fish are a major source of protein for billions of people, and a large share of stocks are fished at their limit or beyond.
World Oceans Day is three days after World Environment Day, so the two are easy to run as one programme. If you want to see what a switch away from single-use bags is worth, try the bag footprint calculator.
Frequently asked questions#
8 June.
In 2008.
Join a clean-up, reduce plastic use or learn about marine life near you.
The idea came from the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The UN General Assembly recognised 8 June as World Oceans Day in 2008, and the first official observance under that resolution took place in 2009. Since then it has been coordinated by a global network of organisations, with each year’s events built around a theme such as the ocean and climate.
Yes. Most plastic and chemicals reach the sea by way of rivers, drains and rubbish dumps, so cutting single-use plastic and cleaning local waterways matters wherever you are. Choosing sustainably caught fish, saving energy and joining a river clean-up also help, and a school far from the sea can still run a talk on marine life.