Defend the Ocean. Protect Our Future
UN Secretary-General and world governments
We are tied to the ocean. Every single human needs a healthy ocean to live a healthy life on this planet. But often we forget how connected its health is to our own because we don't necessarily see it every day ... or the impacts to its health.
For Planet Ocean has been an art challenge this World Ocean Month to increase the awareness, visibility, and action for the ocean. This art challenge has reached tens of thousands of people on the importance of the ocean. This is the next step, to raise our voices to This petition is for EVERY PERSON ON PLANET EARTH to elevate your view on just how important the ocean is to you ... and all of us.
We will send this to the UN Secretary General and UN Environment Programme, copying leaders from every country with a petition signatory.
Sponsored by
To:
UN Secretary-General and world governments
From:
[Your Name]
We, the undersigned, call on governments and elected officials around the world to publicly commit to ocean conservation and sustainable ocean management — and to back that commitment with real policy action.
The ocean is not a distant or abstract resource. It is the foundation of life on this planet, and its health is inseparable from our own.
The ocean produces at least 50% of the breathable oxygen on Earth — providing every other breath we take.
It absorbs nearly 30% of human carbon emissions and 90% of excess heat, acting as our planet's most powerful buffer against climate change.
Over 3 billion people worldwide depend on the ocean as their primary source of protein.
Coastal ecosystems — marshes, mangroves, and barrier islands — serve as a first line of defense against flooding and storm damage, protecting lives, homes, and infrastructure while reducing the need for costly disaster relief.
Coastal communities are major hubs for boating, fishing, tourism, and recreation. Protecting marine environments safeguards the businesses, jobs, and economies that depend on a thriving coastline.
A healthy ocean supports a healthy planet, a stable climate, food security, and resilient economies. Its decline threatens all of these in return.
We Are Asking Leaders To:
Publicly affirm support for ocean conservation and sustainable management.
Champion policies that protect marine ecosystems, reduce ocean pollution, and support sustainable fisheries.
Invest in coastal resilience, including the restoration and protection of natural buffers like wetlands, mangroves, and reefs.
Support international cooperation on ocean health, including science-based emissions reduction and marine protected areas.
The ocean sustains us. It is time for leaders everywhere to act with the urgency this moment demands.
By signing below, I join this global call for ocean conservation and ask my elected officials to take meaningful action.