Lecture Marine environmental studies Topic Landbased marine pollution

Landbased pollution represents the single most important cause of marine pollution; the threat of landbased pollution to the marine environment is a serious one since it mainly affects coastal waters, which are sites of high biological productivity. In this chapter provides knowledge of landbased marine pollution.

LAND-BASED MARINE POLLUTION

• Land-based pollution represents the single most important cause of marine pollution

• The threat of land-based pollution to the marine environment is a serious one since

it mainly affects coastal waters, which are sites of high biological productivity

• As typically shown in Minamata disease which was caused by mercury poisoning through liquid waste from a factory in

Japan, contaminations in coastal waters may pose serious risks to marine

ecosystems as well as human health

• Nearly half of the global population resides in coastal areas

• 2/3rd of the world’s cities are

coastal

• Goods and services provided

by marine coastal ecosystems

are worth US $ 13 trillion per annum, which equals to half of the annual global GDP

• Thus, there is no exaggeration to say that the very survival of coastal populations

depends on a healthy marine environment

• In a broad context, the land-based marine pollution is a result of the imbalance

between human populations and industrial activities and the limited capacity of the marine environment to absorb the wastes they produce

• It has been estimated that at least 60

percent of the world’s population live within

100 km of the coast Hence, it is

conceivable that with rapid population

growth, marine pollution from land-based activities will become more problematic

Insert Page Title hereInsert Page Content Here

Land-based marine pollution is a world-wide problem and accounts for about 80% of all marine

pollution!

LAND-BASED MARINE POLLUTION

Major Land-based Marine

Sources of Land-based marine

E.g Non Point Sources

E.g Point source pollution

Transboundary nature of land-based marine

• Global + regional + national approach

• Accordingly, the international co-operation between States becomes a prerequisite in order to prevent the land-based marine pollution

• Furthermore, the establishment of international rules

in this field is of particular importance with a view to ensuring fair economic competition at the international level

Any global agreement/treaty?

• Currently, there is no global treaty on based marine pollution , but there are a

land-number of agreements between states

within certain regions.

• Additionally , UNCLOS has some

provisions on land-based marine pollution.

In ternational Law Addressing Pollution from Land-based Sources (LBS):UNCLOS

• Obligations under UNCLOS

• Specific provisions for LBS: Art.207

• Art 207(1): States shall adopt laws and regulations to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the marine environment from land-based sources, including rivers, estuaries, pipelines and outfall structures, taking into account internationally agreed rules, standards and recommended practices and procedures

• Cf Art 211(2) on vessel-source marine pollution : “States shall adopt laws and regulations for the prevention, reduction and control of pollution of the marine environment from vessels flying their flag or of their registry Such laws and regulations shall at least have the same effect as that of generally

accepted international rules and standards established through the competent international organization or general diplomatic conference “

17

International Law Addressing Pollution

from Land-based Sources (LBS):UNCLOS

• Art 207(3): States, acting especially through competent international organizations or

diplomatic conference, shall endeavour to establish global and regional rules, standards and recommended practices and procedures to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the

marine environment from land-based sources…

• “Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA)”

• Non-binding instrument adopted in order to implement Agenda 21

• Aims to guide national and/or regional authorities in action

to prevent, reduce, control and/or eliminate marine degradation from land-based activities

18

International Law Addressing Pollution

from Land-based Sources (LBS):UNCLOS

• Obligation to protect the environment under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

• General provisions: Art 192-194

• Art 192: States have the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment.

• Art 193(1): States shall take, individually or jointly as appropriate, all measures consistent with this

Convention that are necessary to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the marine environment from any source, using for this purpose the best practicable means at their disposal and in accordance with their capabilities, and they shall endeavour to harmonize their policies in this connection.

19

International Law Addressing Pollution

from Land-based Sources (LBS):UNCLOS

• Art 194 (1): States shall take, individually or jointly as

appropriate, all measures consistent with this Convention that are necessary to prevent, reduce and control pollution

of the marine environment from any source, using for this purpose the best practicable means at their disposal and in accordance with their capabilities, and they shall

endeavour to harmonize their policies in this connection

• Art.194(2): States shall take all measures necessary to

ensure that activities under their jurisdiction or control are

so conducted as not to cause damage by pollution to other States and their environment, and that pollution arising

from incidents or activities under their jurisdiction or control does not spread beyond the areas where they exercise

sovereign rights in accordance with this Convention

20

Any global agreement/treaty?

• The “Montreal Guidelines” also exist as a blueprint of appropriate control strategies for land based sources of marine pollution

What can we do?

Use

environmentally safe products

Compost garden and kitchen waste

Dispose of trash, properly.

Everything!

When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves.

David Orr

CLASS TEST

of plants, animals and bacteria which are interacting with one another in such a way

as to maintain the integrity of the whole

State 5 marine pollutants that may

disrupt the balance of an ecosystem and state their respective source(s).

(10 minutes)

akpe na mi!