What is World Oceans Day, and what's this year's theme?

World Oceans Day takes place every year on 8 June, and it's all about raising awareness to protect the seas and the wildlife living there.

Each year has a different theme, and the theme for 2026 is Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are underwater nature reserves that are used to protect species and habitats.

The organisers of World Oceans Day are asking world leaders to work together to build a network of these MPAs, as well as getting them to renew their call to protect at least 30% of lands, waters and oceans by 2030 - called "30x30".

Read on to find out more about World Oceans Day and why our oceans are so important.

World Oceans Day began in 1992, when leaders from Canada suggested the idea at the Earth Summit in Rio.

In 2008, the United Nations (UN) officially recognised 8 June as World Oceans Day, which would mark the importance of the world's oceans.

Events for the day have taken place across the world, and more than 100 countries are involved in the celebrations.

The "30x30" call first took place in 2020 - for world leaders to commit to protecting 30% of our oceans by 2030 - in the hope of combating climate change and protecting marine biodiversity.

And each year a different theme is adopted.

Last year, the theme was Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us, which the event organisers said was to celebrate the wonder and awe that the ocean inspires in us.

The UN holds a live event with special guests discussing topics from the seas to space.

Sometimes special guests, like actor Jason Momoa, who plays Aquaman, are invited to talk too.

One of the biggest threats facing oceans is rising temperatures.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says that last year saw some of the highest global temperatures ever. And 2024 was the warmest year on record.

According to research released in 2023, oceans across the world have reached record high temperatures.

Scientists believe that human activities - such as the burning of fossil fuels and emissions from factories - are having a bad effect on global temperatures, causing harmful gases to be released into the atmosphere.

Those gases end up in the Earth's atmosphere and trap more of the Sun's heat, which then increases the Earth's temperatures.

Rising sea temperatures have an effect on sea life, and many animals and plants are struggling to adapt.

There is also the big issue of plastic waste in oceans.

Around 171 trillion pieces of plastic are now thought to be floating in the world's oceans, according to a group of scientists in 2023.

Last year the Marine Conservation Society discovered that the amount of plastic rubbish found on beaches in the UK has increased by nearly 10%.

Plastic pollution kills wildlife, damages natural ecosystems, and contributes to climate change.

The problem with plastic is that most of it is not biodegradable.

That means it doesn't rot, like paper or food, so instead it can hang around in the environment and take hundreds of years to break down.

Last year, scientists from sustainability company HR Wallingford and Queen Mary University found that plastic pollution in the ocean could stay on the water's surface for over 100 years.

Although World Oceans Day is an important day to learn more about the crisis state our oceans are in, it is also a day to celebrate oceans that take up 70% of our planet.

Here are some things you can do on the day: