Marine pollution includes a range of threats including from land-based sources, oil spills, untreated sewage, heavy siltation, eutrophication (nutrient enrichment), invasive species, persistent organic pollutants (POP’s), heavy metals from mine tailings and other sources, acidification, radioactive substances, marine litter, overfishing and destruction of coastal and marine habitats
Overall, good progress has been made on reducing Persistent organic pollutants (POP’s), with the exception of the Arctic. Oil discharges and spills to the Seas has been reduced by 63% compared to the mid-1980’ies, and tanker accidents have gone down by 75%, from tanker operations by 90% and from industrial discharges by some 90%, partly as a result of the shift to double-hulled tankers
Some progress on reducing emissions of heavy metals is reported in some regions, while increased emissions are happening in others. Electronic waste and mine tailings are included amongst the sources of heavy metal pollution in Southeast Asia.
Sedimentation has decreased in some areas due to reduced river flows as a result of terrestrial overuse for agricultural irrigation, while increasing in other regions as a result of coastal development and deforestation along rivers, water sheds and costal areas, and clearing of mangroves
A major threat beyond overexploitation of fisheries and physical destruction of marine coastal habitats by dredging, is undoubtedly the strong increase in coastal development and discharge of untreated sewage into the near-shore waters, resulting in enormous amounts of nutrients spreading into the sea and coastal zones
This, together with changes in salinity, melting sea ice, increased sea temperatures and future changes in sea currents may severely affect marine life and their ability to recover from extreme climatic events.
For more information, click here.
Source: Grida
