Lecture Marine environmental studies Topic Landbased marine pollution

LAND-BASED MARINE
POLLUTION

By Gohoho E. Sena,
Regional Maritime University


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.


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LAND-BASED
MARINE
POLLUTION
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Land-based marine
pollution is a world-wide
problem and accounts for

about 80% of all marine
pollution!


Major Land-based Marine
Pollutants
•
•
•
•
•
•

Litter
Sewage
Heavy metals
Nutrients
Petroleum
Chlorinated
hydrocarbons


Sources of Land-based marine
Pollution
• Industry
• Municipal Waste
• Urban and Agricultural run-off


Sources – cont’d

• The sources stated sometimes discharge
directly into the sea.
• At other times, they discharge into fresh
water systems which eventually drain into
the sea.


Sources – cont’d
Land-based marine pollutants enter the sea
either through
• Non point sources
• Point sources


Non-Point Sources
• They are diffused sources of pollution that
are hard to see and control.
• Their effects cannot be attributed to any
single spot and thus harder to control; e.g.
Runoff of toxic substances or fertilizer after
rain


E.g. Non Point Sources


Point Sources
• They are easily discernable stationary
sources.
• E.g. from a single sewer pipe or factory

waste-water outfall


E.g. Point source pollution


Transboundary nature of land-based marine
pollution,
• Owing to the transboundary nature of land-based marine
pollution, the protection of the marine environment from
the land-based sources and activities cannot be
achieved by only one State
• 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 landbased marine pollution, but there are a
number of agreements between states
within certain regions.
• Additionally, UNCLOS has some
provisions on land-based marine pollution.

International 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 landbased 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. “


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 Landbased 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.

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.


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.


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.