The Interdisciplinary Nature of the International Issue of Marine Pollution

By Krishna Chugani

Following the environmental conservation movements of the 1960s, president Nixon signed the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act in 1972. This sparked regulations and political debates over ocean dumping, marine sanctuaries, and other issues. Though this trend towards marine conservation largely began in the US, it quickly spread to the policies of other nations as the implications of pollution on multiple facets of the economy and daily life are devastating. Conserving oceans and marine resources remains one of the UN’s sustainable development growth for this reason, and understanding the various layers to this complex issue is what could allow businesses, policymakers, and economists to look past statistics and view the impact that possible solutions could have on the lives of people. 

Several policies that have impacted livelihoods on a global scale are those related to the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs), which protect ocean habitats from harmful human activities, and the mitigation of plastic dumping in the ocean. Its benefits are evident not only on an environmental level, but also on an economic one for industries such as fishing. For instance, many southeast Asian countries are experiencing depletion of fish stocks due to overfishing mainly from illegal, unregulated, or unreported practices. 64 percent of fisheries in the region are facing threats of collapse when they catch over half of the world’s fish and contribute billions of dollars to their GDP (GTANSW, 2021). Another major factor to this decline is ocean wastage and dumping, as manufacturing plants and factories in Asia contribute to a large amount of plastic wastage. Although seas in Eastern Asia have suffered from degradation due to plastic debris and pollution from maritime transport, The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) was formed as an intergovernmental mechanism and has taken action to address these issues and provide proper framework for the planning of marine areas. For example, part of its member countries’ strategic directions for 2023-2027 is to preserve coastal and marine biodiversity along with sustainable use of resources. One instance of a local solution being implemented via the guidance of such international bodies was Thailand’s Plastic Debris Management Plan, which included a financial tool for plastic debris management and the development of eco-friendly plastic substitutes. Nonprofit organizations like Verra’s Second Life Thailand project have helped accomplish these goals by combatting plastic waste and selling plastic credits, which companies can buy to offset their waste footprints. This has a positive impact on people’s livelihoods and economy through how the plans work to protect sources of revenue, such as fishing and tourism, by preserving the environment. Similarly, the 411 Marine Protected Areas of Indonesia reveals commitment to such goals, but also raises concerns over proper management. A 2023 Biological Conservation study found that a lack of funding and resources to support the operations of many local MPAs have led to a lack in their effectiveness (Gokkon, 2023). In spite of these ongoing issues and two-thirds of the country’s territory being waters, Indonesia’s 2024 conservation law continues to lack emphasis on marine conservation. Therefore, although developing and following international frameworks is crucial to achieving environmental and economic goals, it is also of importance to keep track of how well those established plans are being followed on a more local level. 

Additionally, another environmental issue that has severe economic consequences are oil spills. For instance, Shell’s operations in Nigeria were historically unethical, as the company exploited the lands of Ogoniland and caused profuse amounts of oil pollution through spillages, which continued in spite of widespread protests, for 55 years (HIR, 2023). Though their frequency is declining, there were 9028 oil spills in the Niger Delta region from 2012 to 2022 alone, with around 1.5 million tons being spilled since 1958 (NOSDRA). One way this has devastated people’s livelihoods is through the destruction of farmland and water contamination. Not only does agriculture account for around 22 percent of the GDP, but it also employs 70 percent of the Nigerian population (trade.gov, 2023). Thus, excessive oil pollution has led to high rates of poverty and low life expectancies in the region despite the revenue made by corporations. Furthermore, the water in the Niger Delta is a crucial source of fish for local populations, and now this habitat faces destruction. With fish being a major source of income and food, the oil industry has ruined the lives of countless people with 43 percent of them living below the poverty line. Another adverse impact these unethical practices had on both livelihoods and the economy was through gas flaring, which burns excess natural gas to release large quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere. 

As a result of the ocean absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, ocean acidification has had devastating environmental, social, and economic consequences on coastal African communities. For instance, their coral reefs experience erosion and struggle to maintain structure, which in turn disrupts marine ecosystems. However, its effects expand to a more personal level for people dependent on their resources for medicine, tourism, and other services. Their status as a keystone species connects the decline of coral reefs to overfishing and other habitat-related threats, as experienced by communities along the coastlines of Eastern Africa. Overfishing in this region, throughout which coral reefs are scattered, coupled with a decline in reef-dependent fish populations has threatened the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of fishers. Consequently, this jeopardizes both food security and the tourism industry. In Zanzibar, for example, 60% of local communities’ protein consumption is reliant on fishing and tourism is its primary economic sector (WRI), as it contributes to over a quarter of its GDP (WorldBank). On a global scale, when factoring in their value towards fisheries, coastal protection of inshore areas, tourism, and pharmaceutical research, the net present value of coral reefs stands at around $797,359,000,000 (WWF).

Fortunately, the blue economy strategy seeks to conserve marine resources and utilize them in a way that is sustainable while promoting economic growth. Several innovative projects have tackled the issue of plastics in the ocean, such as those by the Union J Plus company in Thailand. The company, supported by investments from a private-equity firm, is able to recycle 30,000 tons of plastic waste annually and work towards a circular economy, in which materials circulate and are reused for as long as possible (IFC, 2024). Also, in 2018, member states of the African Union developed the Africa Blue Economy Strategy, which aims to sustainably use the continent’s aquatic resources due to their vital importance to the economy and environment. The strategy recognizes that their blue economy sectors have a value of $296 billion and generate 49 million jobs, and that these figures are projected to grow significantly by 2063 (FAO, 2019). It also lists the main challenges of developing a blue economy as being governance challenges, high rates of poverty, a growing demand for seafood, climate change, planning, and piracy. Ultimately, achieving a blue economy requires not only private-sector innovation and investment, but also widespread support of governments towards policies that help marine conservation.