Oceans sinking in pollutants and waste
According to the United Nations, about 400 million metric tonnes of pollutants flow into the oceans every year. This includes about 1 million metric tonnes of crude oil, radioactive substances, chemicals, fertilisers, agricultural poisons, plastics, toxic heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic products, and pathogens.
According to IPBES, the World Biodiversity Council, marine pollution is the fourth-largest factor causing species extinction in the oceans. In eight out of ten cases, marine pollutants originate from land-based sources. Marine pollution from plastics (plastic waste) is of major concern. About three-quarters of the litter in the oceans comes from such waste. According to the World Ocean Review, between 8.2 and 12.2 million metric tonnes of plastic debris arrive in the ocean each year. This accounts for about 3 percent of the world’s total production. In addition, about 1 million metric tonnes of crude oil creep into the oceans every year. They escape during regular ship operations (about 35%, including illegal tank cleaning). Routine operation of drilling and production rigs, as well as industrial and municipal wastewater, account for the largest share of marine oil pollution at about 45%. The examples of plastic waste and crude oil are only the tip of the iceberg in marine pollution, as over-fertilisation, the invasion of alien organisms, or the extinction of species due to algal plague can also be decisive factors in this area.
Economic growth can also be harmful
As the global economy and population grow, more and more food, energy, resources, and space will be needed from the sea. However, this increasing demand is often accompanied by trends towards degradation and unequal access to and use of the benefits of the sea.
Industries that focus on the ocean bring money, encourage expansion, and create new opportunities. However, they have also contributed to the degradation of marine ecosystems, disputes with small users, and loss of biodiversity, often impacting low-income coastal and island states the most. Maintaining healthy marine ecosystems while preserving access for traditional and small users is a serious concern as economic activity increases and the impacts of climate change accelerate. However, the ocean is also closely linked to much broader global sustainable development goals.
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In order to curb this development or, in the best case, reverse it so that biodiversity increases again, politics, industry, and society must all pull together. After all, water is vital, and clean seas and intact ecosystems are essential for a “healthy” Earth.
