Download Topic 3: Preventing the pollution of oceans and marine

BIGMUN 2017
ECOSOC 1 – Commission on Sustainable Development
Research Report
Topic 3: Preventing the pollution of oceans and marine water bodies
1. Introduction
The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make
the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of
our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the
sea. Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital conduits for trade and transportation.
Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future. Ocean
pollution is a major threat to both marine life and ocean ecosystems, but it also has significant impacts
on life out of the sea1. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to provide background information on the
issue of preserving marine water bodies.
2. Definition of Key Terms
Eutrophication - Nitrates and phosphates are nutrients that plants need to grow. In small amounts they
are beneficial to many ecosystems. In excessive amounts, however, nutrients cause a type of pollution
called eutrophication. Eutrophication stimulates an explosive growth of algae (algal blooms) that
depletes the water of oxygen when the the algae die and are eaten by bacteria. Estuarine waters may
become hypoxic (oxygen poor) or anoxic (completely depleted of oxygen) from algal blooms. While
hypoxia may cause animals in estuaries to become physically stressed, anoxic conditions can kill them.2
Ocean Acidification - When carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by seawater, chemical reactions occur that
reduce seawater pH, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation states of biologically important
calcium carbonate minerals. These chemical reactions are termed "ocean acidification" or "OA" for
short. Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons and shells of many marine
organisms. In areas where most life now congregates in the ocean, the seawater is supersaturated with
respect to calcium carbonate minerals. This means there are abundant building blocks for calcifying
organisms to build their skeletons and shells. However, continued ocean acidification is causing many
parts of the ocean to become undersaturated with these minerals, which is likely to affect the ability of
some organisms to produce and maintain their shells.3
Invasive Species - Invasive species can harm both the natural resources in an ecosystem as well as
threaten human use of these resources. An invasive species can be introduced to a new area via the
ballast water of oceangoing ships, intentional and accidental releases of aquaculture species, aquarium
specimens or bait, and other means. Invasive species are capable of causing extinctions of native plants
and animals, reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering
habitats. This can result in huge economic impacts and fundamental disruptions of coastal and Great
Lakes ecosystems.4
1
http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/estuaries/media/supp_estuar09b_eutro.html
3
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/What+is+Ocean+Acidification%3F
4
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/invasive.html
2
3. Background Information
Facts and Figures

Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface, contain 97% of the Earth’s water, and represent
99 per cent of the living space on the planet by volume

Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods

Globally, the market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at $3
trillion per year or about 5 per cent of global GDP

Oceans contain nearly 200,000 identified species, but actual numbers may lie in the millions

Oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of
global warming

Oceans serve as the world’s largest source of protein, with more than 3 billion people
depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein

Marine fisheries directly or indirectly employ over 200 million people

Subsidies for fishing are contributing to the rapid depletion of many fish species and are
preventing efforts to save and restore global fisheries and related jobs, causing ocean fisheries to
generate US$ 50 billion less per year than they could

As much as 40% of the world oceans are heavily affected by human activities, including
pollution, depleted fisheries, and loss of coastal habitats

Land-based sources (such as agricultural run-off, discharge of nutrients and pesticides and
untreated sewage including plastics) account for approximately 80% of marine pollution, globally.

Agricultural practices, coastal tourism, port and harbour developments, damming of rivers,
urban development and construction, mining, fisheries, aquaculture, and manufacturing, among others,
are all sources of marine pollution threatening coastal and marine habitats.

Excessive nutrients from sewage outfalls and agricultural runoff have contributed to the number
of low oxygen (hypoxic) areas known as dead zones, where most marine life cannot survive, resulting in
the collapse of some ecosystems.

Over 220 million tons of plastic are produced each year.

Plastics can contribute to reduce our carbon footprint. They provide improved insulation, lighter
packaging, are found in phones, computers, medical devices, etc. but appropriate disposal is often not
addressed.

Seven of the EU Member States plus Norway and Switzerland recover more than 80% of their
used plastics. These countries adopt an integrated waste and resource management strategy to address
each waste stream with the best options. However, waste and disposal remain an issue in most of the
world.

The United Nations Environment Programme estimated in 2006 that every square mile of ocean
contains 46,000 pieces of floating plastic.

Plastics are the biggest source of sad

The North Pacific Gyre, known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, occupies a relatively
stationary area that is twice the size of Texas. Waste material from across the North Pacific Ocean,
including coastal waters off North America and Japan, are drawn together.5
Causes of marine pollution and how it affects our ocean environment
Marine pollution threatens the health of our coasts and ocean and it comes in many different forms.
Marine pollution can mean plastic litter, other litter such as glass bottles and cans, oil and chemical spills
or polluted storm-water drains and rivers flowing into the sea.
The effect these have on the marine environment depends on the type of pollution, the size of the
pollution and where the pollution occurs. Some marine environments and types of marine life are more
sensitive than others to pollution. The pollution may damage individual sea creatures or plants, or it may
damage whole communities of different living things
4. Major Countries and Organisations Involved
Japan
Japanese fishing boats still hunt whales under the guise of scientific research. Dolphins continue to
be slaughtered in Taiji and sushi lovers across the country still consume endangered bluefin tuna.
But some Japanese universities and organizations are dedicated to preserving the health of the oceans
and promoting sustainable seafood without killing certain marine animals. This includes the Marine
Stewardship council in Tokyo and WWF Japan. 6
People's Republic of China
Rapid growth has greatly improved the livelihoods of China’s coastal and fishing populations, but it has
also impacted the marine environment through overfishing, coastal habitat loss, and pollution. By 2009,
the polluted area of China’s oceans had exceeded half of its total offshore area.7
Republic of Indonesia
Indonesia’s marine resources have been heavily impacted by poorly planned coastal development,
overfishing and unsustainable “fish farming” practices. These local factors, plus the global threat of
ocean acidification, has put 95% of Indonesia’s coral reefs under serious threat — also threatening the
benefits, like fish and shoreline protection, they give to people.8
Kingdom of Thailand
In 2003, PCD has set up 240 monitoring stations in 23 provinces along Thailand's coastline and
significant islands. In 2003, monitoring results showed that coastal water of 68 percent of the stations
were in "very good" and "good" quality. Thirty percent of the stations were in "fair" condition and only
three percent were in "poor" quality. Compared with past data, coastal water quality was shown to have
5
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/focus-areas/rio-20-ocean/blueprint-for-the-future-wewant/marine-pollution/facts-and-figures-on-marine-pollution/
6
scubadiverlife.com/marine-conservation-efforts-japan/
7
http://fsi.stanford.edu/research/marine-conservation-assessment-china
8
http://www.conservation.org/where/Pages/Indonesia.aspx
deteriorated, specifically in the areas into which four main rivers flow. The chief determinants of
pollution were DO and TCB. In 1992, the government passed several pieces of legislation to prevent
water pollution. The laws primarily limit industrial water contamination:





Enhancement and Conservation of National Environment Quality Act (NEQA) of 1992
Factories Act of 1992
Navigation in Thai Waterways Act (Volume 14) as amended in 1992
Public Health Act of 1992
Cleanliness and Tidiness of the Country Act of 19929
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Vietnam’s marine environment is facing the rising pollution caused by human activities and the lack of
an effective pollution control mechanism, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Environment Administration
Hoang Duong Tung said. The population growth in coastal provinces resulted from a new flow of
immigrants and the rapid urban development in these areas has led to a considerable increase in the
total amount of waste dumped into the sea via the river and canal systems, he attributed. Figures from
the Institute of Mechanics showed that the volume of solid waste in coastal provinces in 2009 amounted
to an average of 7,800 tons per day while wastewater averagely reached 11.8 million cu.m per day. The
National Report on Environment 2010 found that there were no effective waste treatment systems in
place in those provinces during that time. Vietnam with a long coast line of over 3,200 km, has
wastewater from coastal areas accounted for one quarter of the total wastewater nationwide.10
5. Relevant UN Resolutions
A/RES/44/228
Summary
Focus on research and development related to the protection and development of biological diversity.
Addresses the intent on identifying ways to assist developing countries, especially the least developed,
for which the implementation of such measures would entail a special or abnormal burden, owing to
their lack of financial resources, expertise or technical capacity, by establishing a voluntary fund.
(http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/44/a44r228.htm)
6. Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue
Previous and current attempts to address this issue include UN resolutions, the SDG goals, and other
non-governmental organization efforts.
Sustainable Development Goal Target 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine
resources
9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Thailand#Improvement_efforts
http://www.ngocentre.org.vn/news/poor-waste-management-systems-add-marine-pollution-vietnam
10
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources is the 14th goal of UN's Sustainable
Development Goals. This goal has targets outlined following:

By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from landbased activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant
adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in
order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific
cooperation at all levels

By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated
fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to
restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable
yield as determined by their biological characteristics

By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and
international law and based on the best available scientific information

By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and
overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain
from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential
treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade
Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed
countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of
fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology,
considering the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer
of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine
biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and
least developed countries

Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing
international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and
sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want.
(http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/)
7. Possible Solutions
Possible Solutions will include suggestions of more sustainable manners of disposing garbage, and the
reduction in the use of plastic, the main source of pollution found in the ocean. Ocean pollution is very
difficult to clean up after it has already happened, so ideally solutions would also address prevention
methods. Possible solutions will include stricter government regulations on industry and manufacturing
is one large scale solution addressing the protection of beaches, reducing pollution from ships, reducing
marine debris, and prohibiting ocean dumping.
Additionally, they may include:
the implementation renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar power, to limit off-shore drilling,
limiting agricultural pesticides and encouraging organic farming and eco-friendly pesticide use where
appropriate, such that the impact of pesticides on endangered species and their habitats, including
those in the ocean is fully investigated,
adopting proper sewage treatment and exploration of eco-friendly wastewater treatment options, such
as recycling sewage sludge to carbon-phosphorous fertilizer, are other solutions,
cutting down on industry and manufacturing waste and contain landfills so they don't spill into the
ocean are all methods that could address this issue.
(http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Solutions_for_Ocean_Pollution)
8. Bibliography
http://www.softschools.com/facts/holidays/ocean_pollution_facts/1303/
http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Solutions_for_Ocean_Pollution
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-ocean-pollution-facts.php
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/focus-areas/rio-20-ocean/blueprint-forthe-future-we-want/marine-pollution/facts-and-figures-on-marine-pollution/
http://www.ecowatch.com/these-5-countries-account-for-60-of-plastic-pollution-in-oceans1882107531.html
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/focus-areas/rio-20-ocean/blueprint-forthe-future-we-want/marine-pollution/
http://www.fao.org/fishery/en
http://web.unep.org/ecosystems/
https://www.cbd.int
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/
http://www.undp.org/water/
http://www.un.org/depts/los/index.htm
http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/44/a44r228.htm
www.scubadiverlife.com/marine-conservation-efforts-japan/
http://fsi.stanford.edu/research/marine-conservation-assessment-china