Together we can protect our oceans and coastal seas

My name is Thomas Baselmans, I am 18 years old and I want to make a difference. I am worried about the future of our planet, it's climate and it's biodiversity.

But you and me right here right now, we can help save our planet.

If everyone would donate one euro/dollar we can help the World Wild Life fund protect our forests, our rainforests, the planets wildlife and it's biodiversity. Imagine what we can do if everybody would donate one euro/dollar! Let's show the WWF that they are not on their own and that they have a whole generation behind them. Because the ocean covers more than two-thirds of the surface of our living planet and is home to spectacular ecosystems and cherished animals. No matter where you live, you are never far from the ocean.

The value of the marine world goes far beyond biodiversity: the ocean supports the lives of billions of people, regulates our climate, produces half the oxygen we breathe and feeds the water cycle that produces rain and fresh water. But after decades of excessive use and pollution, these services are interrupted.

One in three fish stocks is overfished. Hundreds of thousands of marine mammals, seabirds and turtles are caught every year, along with tens of millions of sharks. Half of all coral reefs and mangroves have disappeared.

Our ocean plays a crucial role in balancing the planet's temperature and driving behavior, such as rainfall and wind. Unfortunately, the ocean has also absorbed most of global warming - more than 90 percent - and a significant amount of our carbon pollution from man-made climate change. Warmer ocean water drives stronger storms and bleaching coral reefs. As the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide, it becomes more acidic, threatening most shellfish, including small crustaceans that are fundamental to the marine food chain.

This is no longer acceptable, our oceans and coastal seas are at risk, and the biodiversity provided by our oceans is also at serious risk. Oceans and coastal seas are invaluable to our planet so we must do everything we can to help protect them. If everyone donates 1 euro/dollar we can help WWF to protect our oceans and coastal seas and we can make sure WWF achieves these goals:

- Increasing sustainable fishing

- Building resilient coastal ecosystems

- Safeguarding the artic

WWF: "Taking better care of our ocean is something we have to do together. WWF is working to make the ocean more resilient by improving the way we deal with what comes in and out of the ocean, while at the same time protecting important areas such as the Arctic and endangered ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangrove forests".

WWF can't do this alone and we a new generation full of hope and a new sustainable vision for the future can ensure that WWF is not alone. Let your voice be heard, share this with as many people as possible so that together we can save our planet.

Thank you!

And now, let's give back to our planet.