News

50th Anniversary of Earth Day

The countdown to Earth Day 2020 is underway with its organizers—the Earth Day Network—announcing “The Demand for Climate Action” as the overarching theme throughout this landmark 50^th anniversary year. Earth Day Network has also begun planning efforts to produce a global-scale mobilization in April 2020 to mark the anniversary.

In 1970, twenty million people took to the streets to protest and demand action to change the way humanity was impacting the Earth’s environment. The movement, inspired by the 1968 ‘Earthrise’ image of the Earth from space, created a mobilization that triggered a raft of new transformational legislation in the United States, including the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

The movement also triggered a worldwide environmental people’s movement that now engages more than 190 countries and a billion people annually.

Every year Earth Day Network, as the organizer of the original Earth Day, selects an environmental priority to engage the global public. The enormous challenges – but also the vast opportunities – of acting on climate change have distinguished the issue as the most pressing topic for the 50^th anniversary year as nations look to increase the ambition of their national climate action plans to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

“Climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable. Unless every country in the world steps up – and steps up with urgency and ambition – we are consigning current and future generations to a very dangerous future of rising sea levels; glacier and ice-sheet loss; increased storms, floods, and droughts; dramatic extinction of animal and plant species; and increased poverty in many regions,” said Kathleen Rogers, Earth Day Network President.

“Much has been achieved since 1970, but much still remains unfinished, with many of the dials on our sustainability indicators pointing perilously in the wrong direction. 2020 has to be the year of enormous, ambitious change that will take the promise of the positive action underway and make it bigger and bolder worldwide,” she said.

“Together, we can unite our individual voices and individual actions around the world to build a movement that is inclusive, ambitious, and impossible to ignore.” Rogers said.

A raft of initiatives, aimed at mobilizing citizen engagement on climate action and wider environmental mobilizations will provide individuals with ways to act, including:

Vote for earth, protest the climate crisis

Vote Earth

In 2019 and 2020, more than 125 countries will host major parliamentary, presidential, and legislative elections around the world. Thousands of state, provincial, regional, and city elections will also be held. The time has never been better to use individual power as a voting citizen to select the candidates committed to taking bold action to protect our planet.

Vote Earth calls on citizens, particularly young and first-time voters, to examine the climate and environmental platforms of their candidates; to engage these candidates and better understand their ambition; and, ultimately, to vote at the ballot box for the candidates with clear, ambitious, and convincing plans to protect our planet

Through targeted in-country strategic communications spread through large- and small-scale organizations, Vote Earth will inform, engage, and activate voters to register, get educated, and show up at the polls to vote for candidates committed to protecting the planet.

The Great Global Cleanup

In collaboration with partners around the globe, Earth Day Network is building Earth’s largest cleanup crew.

The Great Global Cleanup is a worldwide campaign to remove billions of pieces of trash from neighborhoods, beaches, rivers, lakes, trails, and parks — reducing waste and plastic pollution, improving habitats, and preventing harm to wildlife and humans.

The Great Global Cleanup has been piloted through more than 2,000 cleanups in cities across the U.S. for Earth Day 2019. Now, the event will be scaled up for global reach to kick off the largest coordinated environmental volunteer event in history.

Through our unified campaign including mobile registration, digital mapping and social media, we will connect partners and participants around the globe to remove billions of pieces of trash from our green spaces, urban communities, and waterways. Data collected by participants will help build a better understanding of the sources, scope and solutions to our waste problem.

Earth Challenge 2020

Citizens of the world have incredible potential to report on the natural world around them, but this potential has largely gone untapped, until now. Earth Challenge 2020 will empower everyday individuals to join the largest-ever global citizen science initiative to report on the health and wellbeing of the environment around them, from their drinking water, to their air quality, to the species around them.

A scientific panel has been assembled to support the Earth Challenge 2020 campaign, with partners including the Wilson Center, the US State Department, Esri, the World Bank’s Connect4Climate initiative, and UN Environment.

This global network of partners has identified six key questions, and with support from tech giants like Amazon, the Earth Challenge 2020 app will be launched in early 2020 for citizens to download and use to help answer these questions in their localities.

The findings of this citizen science initiative will be uploaded to large scientific networks to improve our understanding of the health of our world, with dual goals of triggering national and local government policy shifts while arming citizens with better and more convincing facts.

Artists for the Earth

Artists for the Earth is a global campaign to raise awareness and understanding of climate change and the environment by seizing the power of art to inform, provoke, and inspire action and instill hope for the future. Artists for the Earth will engage thousands of museums, orchestras, theaters, performers, authors, and artists from all walks of life and from every continent to change our global culture through culture.

By raising awareness and understanding of climate change and the environment through the arts, Artists for the Earth aims to connect with people on an emotional, personal, and local level to nurture optimism, drive action, and catalyze change in communities around the world.

Billion Acts of Green

Earth Day 2020 wants to recognize every person, every group, and every action being taken to improve our world– whether it be lifestyle changes that cut emissions, action on plastics pollution, species protection, university and school teach-ins, tree plantings, local and global cleanups, switching to a more plant-based diets, or voting with your wallet and your ballot.

Earth Day Network will be reinvigorating and relaunching its flagship platform – Billion Acts of Green – to meet the challenge of logging, aggregating, and profiling these meaningful actions by inspiring individuals and organizations around the world. Billion Acts of Green will serve as the overarching umbrella or frame for all actions taken on the EDN website, whether it’s a petition signed, a cleanup hosted, a climate march registered, etc.

The previous iteration of Billion Acts of Green saw more than 2 billion actions registered, with a 2020 goal of 3.5 billion actions taken, logged, and aggregated around the world.

To learn more about Earth Day Network’s campaigns across the world: https://www.earthday.org/campaigns/

Featured

Fish Art Contest Unveils Guy Harvey Shark Award

Photo Credit: Tina Zhao, Great White Shark / Wildlife Forever.

White Bear Lake, MN (May 2, 2025) – Wildlife Forever is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025 Guy Harvey Shark Award, a special award division within the Art of Conservation® Fish Art Contest sponsored by the Guy Harvey Foundation. This award celebrates outstanding student artwork that raises awareness about sharks and their conservation needs.

The 2025 Guy Harvey Shark Award winners are:

K–3rd Grade: Wenhao Xia, MA – Atlantic Shark
4th–6th Grade: Ruiyi Fan, AZ – Hammerhead Shark
7th–9th Grade: Selene Li, NJ – Great White Shark
10th–12th Grade: Tina Zhao, WA – Great White Shark

Watercolor painting of an Atlantic shark breaching from a wave with dramatic splashes, against a bright blue sky. The shark’s open mouth and sharp teeth are visible, capturing a sense of motion and power. — Wenhao Xia – Atlantic Shark

Painting of a hammerhead shark gliding upward through beams of sunlight beneath the ocean surface, surrounded by small fish and framed by textured blue water. — Wenhao Xia – Atlantic Shark

For full resolution winning artworks, please visit: www.theartofconservation.org/shark-award-winners

“Guy Harvey has built his life on using artwork to show the beauty of the undersea world and convey messages of conservation. We are proud to support Wildlife Forever’s Fish Art Contest, which encourages students to be creative and express their appreciation for sharks and our oceans,” said Greg Jacoski, Executive Director, Research and Policy at the Guy Harvey Foundation.

To be eligible for the award, students submitted original artwork of any shark species along with a written piece relevant to their chosen species. Winners receive a signed print from world-renowned marine artist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey, valued at up to $200, along with additional recognition.

“At Wildlife Forever, we believe art has the power to connect people to conservation in a personal and lasting way. These students used their creativity to champion sharks and the vital role they play in our oceans, and we are honored to celebrate their incredible work,” said Veronica Mangio, Education and Marketing Manager at Wildlife Forever.

To view all winning entries from the 2024-25 Fish Art Contest, visit www.FishArt.org.

About Wildlife Forever:

Wildlife Forever is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to conserving America’s outdoor heritage through conservation education, habitat restoration, and scientific management of fish and wildlife. With a commitment to maximizing impact, 96% of every dollar donated goes directly to conservation programs. Learn more about the Art of Conservation® Fish Art Contest™, Songbird Art Contest™, Clean Drain Dry Initiative™, Getting Families Fishing & Boating Initiative™, and Prairie City USA® at www.WildlifeForever.org.

About the Guy Harvey Foundation:

With a focused mission to better understand and conserve the ocean environment, the Guy Harvey Foundation (GHF) collaborates with local, national and international organizations to conduct scientific research and provides funding to affiliated researchers who share this objective. The GHF also develops and hosts cutting-edge educational programs that help educators to foster the next era of marine conservationists, ensuring that future generations can enjoy and benefit from a properly balanced ocean ecosystem. For more information, visit www.GuyHarveyFoundation.org.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOcean,
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GuyHarveyOcean, or connect on
Instagram: www.instagram.com/GuyHarveyOcean.

News

U.S. Sidesteps UN on Deep Sea Mining, Sparking Global Alarm

Image credit: © Stephanie Keith / Greenpeace

As publishers connecting the global ocean conservation community, we’ve watched with growing concern as the United States government signals a controversial shift on deep-sea mining. The plan is to support mining operations outside the established United Nations framework – specifically bypassing the International Seabed Authority (ISA). This UN body is responsible for regulating mineral activities in international waters. An executive order signed April 24 directs U.S. agencies to fast-track permits using only national law. For us, and for the many working on the front lines of ocean protection whom we connect with daily, this move raises significant alarm and challenges the collaborative international approach vital for protecting our shared seas.

Why Bypassing Global Oversight Matters

This move leverages the U.S. Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA), essentially creating a separate, national pathway for mining permits. It sidesteps the environmental standards and collective decision-making the ISA is painstakingly developing. What makes this particularly jarring is that the U.S. benefits substantially from the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)—the very treaty that established the ISA—even though it hasn’t officially signed it. We’ve seen the U.S. use UNCLOS provisions to claim vast seabed territories, making this departure from its spirit even more concerning.

This action feels like it undermines the ISA’s authority when international cooperation is most needed. It follows recent ISA meetings where over 20 nations pushed for stronger environmental rules. Furthermore, the new ISA Secretary-General, Leticia Carvalho, has clearly condemned efforts to bypass the Authority’s governance structure.

Weighing Corporate Interests and Environmental Risks

The immediate focus is on The Metals Company (TMC) and its ambition to mine the resource-rich Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific – an area teeming with unique life far outside U.S. waters. Their apparent willingness to proceed without full ISA approval is a major point of contention. Indeed, during the ISA’s recent 30th Council session, ISA Member States and Secretary-General Carvalho swiftly condemned an earlier announcement from TMC as a blatant attempt to sidestep international law and undermine multilateral governance.

From our vantage point, connecting researchers and conservationists globally, the potential ecological fallout is immense. As Arlo Hemphill of Greenpeace USA aptly put it, “Authorizing deep-sea mining outside international law is like lighting a match in a room full of dynamite… It threatens ecosystems, global cooperation, and U.S. credibility all at once.” While this order speeds up the process, it’s crucial to remember, as Greenpeace notes, that significant resistance is likely, just as previous attempts faced.

A Divided World and a Fractured Consensus?

This unilateral stance feels increasingly out of step with the global mood. We see a growing international coalition – now 32 countries – calling for a moratorium or at least a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining. Alongside these governments, millions of people worldwide have spoken out against this dangerous emerging industry. They rightly cite the risk of irreversible harm to fragile deep-sea ecosystems. These are habitats critical for biodiversity and climate regulation, ecosystems we strive to highlight and explain. The simple truth is, we still know far too little about the potential impacts of large-scale mining in these remote environments.

This U.S. action risks damaging the global consensus on ocean management carefully built over decades. It forces us to ask hard questions about how we manage shared resources fairly and responsibly. We hear constantly from scientists and conservationists working tirelessly, often in isolated conditions, and for them, this disregard for multilateralism can feel like a significant setback.

The Path Forward

The push for deep-sea mining is gaining speed against a backdrop of serious global opposition. We believe this puts the international community at a critical crossroads. Protecting our shared ocean demands robust global cooperation, transparent rules, and decisions grounded in science – principles we know resonate deeply across the network of people dedicated to ocean health. How the world navigates this challenge will profoundly shape the future of ocean stewardship.

News

Living Oceans Foundation Partners with World Technology to Expand Ocean Education

In a powerful alliance for ocean education and advocacy, World Technology has officially welcomed the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation as its newest global content partner. Together, they aim to amplify access to world-class marine science content through the lens of innovation, storytelling, and digital reach.

As a platform dedicated to celebrating human ingenuity in science and technology, World Technology will now host and promote the Foundation’s award-winning educational films, interactive tools, and conservation materials. This strategic partnership brings critical issues like coral reef degradation, overfishing, and climate-driven ocean changes into sharper focus for audiences around the world.

“We are honored to welcome the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation as it works to preserve, protect, and restore the world’s oceans and aquatic resources through research, education, and outreach with science-based solutions,” said Paul J. Foster, Executive Chairman of World Technology.

Established in 2000 under the leadership of HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan, the Foundation is globally recognized for its groundbreaking coral reef research. Its Global Reef Expedition remains the largest coral reef survey and habitat mapping mission in history.

“At the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, we are committed to advancing ocean literacy and inspiring the next generation of marine stewards,” said Alexandra Dempsey, CEO of the Foundation.

“By partnering with World Technology to share our educational and award-winning films online, we have an incredible opportunity to reach a broader audience and raise awareness about the critical issues facing our coral reefs.”

Two young students concentrate on their schoolwork while sitting at desks in a classroom. — Students participate in an educational program, learning about ocean conservation through classroom activities.

At SEVENSEAS Media, we warmly welcome this collaboration. It’s a great example of what we believe in, connecting groundbreaking ocean science with global education. When expert knowledge becomes accessible to students, educators, and everyday ocean advocates, local conservation efforts gain the global visibility they truly deserve.

Seeing an esteemed foundation like Living Oceans join forces with a platform as innovative as World Technology is exactly the kind of bridge-building the conservation community needs right now. It’s a moment that reaffirms our collective commitment to ocean literacy, equitable access to knowledge, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 4: Quality Education.

🌐 Explore the Foundation’s free Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum and resources: www.lof.org/education/portal

All images provided by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, used with permission.

About World Technology
World Technology (WT) is a global organization that convenes the worlds of technology, science and
innovation. The World Technology Games is the annual flagship competition celebrating human
ingenuity across Life, Earth, Data and Industrial sciences. Set to debut in 2026, the annual five-day
event will convene scientists, engineers, technologists and innovators from around the world. The
World Technology Summit is staged in key world cities, and focuses on humanity’s greatest
challenges. WT is helmed by an accomplished Leadership team and a Global Advisory Group of
leading experts with a mission to elevate great human ingenuity behind the world’s greatest
advancements of today and tomorrow. Learn more at https://worldtechnology.games

About the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation
The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing
science-based solutions to protect and restore ocean health. Our marine conservation initiatives focus
on preserving coral reefs, restoring mangrove forests, and advancing ocean literacy worldwide.
Through science, outreach, and education, we equip people with the knowledge and tools to
safeguard our oceans while inspiring and training the next generation of ocean stewards. Learn more
at www.LivingOceansFoundation.org