Marine Litter Poses Global Challenge for Business
In recognition of the first official World Ocean Day (which, if you missed it on your calendar, was Monday, June 8), I'm devoting this post to a new report, “Marine Litter: A Global Challenge,” released earlier this week by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Ocean Conservancy.
It’s no secret the world's oceans are deteriorating at a startling rate. Fish populations are declining and coral reefs are dying, while invasive species and diseases continue to spread. Researchers are concerned about how climate change is affecting ocean acidification, and by some estimates, we’ve pushed as much as 75% of the world's fisheries beyond the limits of sustainability. Adding to this list of woes, the new 234-page UNEP study identifies marine litter as a significant global concern that affects all oceans of the world.
“Marine Litter: A Global Challenge” reviews and analyzes assessments and action plans covering a dozen regional seas that are part of the UNEP Global Marine Litter Initiative. The study reveals a “widespread lack of systematic, scientific knowledge on the sources, amounts, fates, trends and outcomes or marine litter, which hampers the development and implementation of mitigation actions.” Even if laws are in the books, they’re difficult to enforce. And, thanks to fluid dynamics, the problem of marine litter is shared by all of us. Marine litter is complex, multi-dimensional, and global, and it produces an entire spectrum of negative health, safety, environmental, and economic impacts.
Tackling the problem of marine litter and improving the health of the world’s oceans requires collaboration between regulatory agencies, NGOs, businesses, and individuals. The final chapter for the UNEP study outlines “the way forward,” which will necessarily include a wide range of strategies and approaches, such as education and outreach, the development and enforcement of appropriate legislation, integrated solid waste management systems, monitoring programs, and research. Building awareness –through World Ocean Day and reports like this one –is an essential initial step.
