UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 14.1 states that by 2025 we should: prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
Marine litter and plastic pollution are recognized as threat multipliers as they act together with other stressors to cause compounded damage to ocean ecosystems.
Eutrophication: Resulting primarily from land-based nutrient input from agricultural runoff and domestic wastewater discharge, coastal eutrophication can lead to serious damage to marine ecosystems and vital sea habitats and can cause the spread of harmful algal blooms
Health: Many species are affected by the ingestion of litter, especially plastics, and there is an increasing concern that animals could be ingesting persistent organic pollutants and toxic compounds, leading to impacts on fish stocks and ultimately risks for wildlife and humans (UNEMG Synthesis Report, 2022)
Financial Cost: In 2018 alone, impacts on tourism, fisheries and aquaculture together with other costs such as those for clean-ups, were estimated to be at least US$9-19 billion globally.
Biodiversity: Microplastics can raise the temperature of the sand on beaches, and since sand temperature determines the sex of turtles, warmer nests may alter the ratio of male and female turtles that hatch on heavily polluted beaches.
Pollution is a serious global environmental, social and economic problem that negatively affects marine life and biodiversity, ecosystems, livelihoods, fisheries, maritime transport, recreation, tourism and economies.
A healthy ocean is critical to meeting global climate, sustainable development and biodiversity goals. The main sources of pollution must be addressed.
Most marine pollution comes from land-based sources, including urban and storm runoff, sewer overflows, beach visitors, inadequate waste disposal and management, industrial activities, construction, agriculture, tyres and illegal dumping.
Coastal wetlands, including salt marshes, improve water quality by filtering runoff and metabolizing excess nutrients
