ISLAMABAD: As the world marked the Oceans Day, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination on Monday called for urgent national action to protect Pakistan’s marine ecosystems from escalating threats posed by climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.

The World Ocean Day was being marked under the theme “Reimagine: beyond the world we know, a new relationship with our ocean.”

Highlighting the critical role oceans play in regulating the global climate, producing oxygen, supporting biodiversity and sustaining livelihoods, the ministry in a statement warned that the degradation of marine ecosystems posed growing risks not only to coastal communities but also to national food security, economic stability and climate resilience.

According to United Nations assessments, oceans generated at least 50 per cent of the oxygen humans breathe, absorbed nearly a quarter of global carbon dioxide emissions and regulated weather systems worldwide. Yet, rising ocean temperatures, acidification, plastic pollution and overexploitation are pushing marine ecosystems beyond their limits. Globally, around 90 per cent of large fish populations have been depleted and nearly half of the world’s coral reefs lost.

The ministry said Pakistan’s 1,050-kilometre coastline and rich marine ecosystems, including mangrove forests, fisheries and coastal wetlands, were increasingly vulnerable to sea-level rise, marine pollution, coastal erosion, extreme weather events and warming seas. These threats directly affect the livelihoods of millions of people dependent on fisheries, coastal resources and maritime trade.

“World Oceans Day is a reminder that oceans are not distant ecosystems; they are the foundation of human survival, climate stability and economic prosperity,” said Mohammad Saleem Shaikh, spokesperson for the ministry and a climate policy advocacy expert.

“For too long, humanity has treated the ocean as an inexhaustible resource. Today, we are being called upon to reimagine our relationship with the ocean, from passive beneficiaries of its generosity to active guardians of its future.”

He said Pakistan remained committed to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity and was actively contributing to international efforts through the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).

The ministry urged citizens, industries, educational institutions, fishermen, coastal communities and local governments to reduce plastic pollution, support conservation initiatives, participate in clean-up campaigns and adopt sustainable practices to safeguard marine resources for future generations.

“Lines may exist on maps, but marine life moves freely across our one shared ocean. Protecting it is a shared responsibility and a national imperative,” Mr Shaikh said.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026