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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 9:50 pm
Time: 9:50 pm
Results for polluted oceans
2 results foundAuthor: Hammerle, Mara Title: Stopping the Spread: The Issue of Death by Plastic in Commonwealth Marine Areas and the Great Barrier Reef Summary: Plastic pollution, both land-based and in our oceans, is one of the most significant environmental challenges the world faces. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has even called it a critical problem, comparable to climate change. While plastic pollution is not the only type of marine litter, it is the most abundant form and poses a worldwide threat to marine environments. Mass production of plastic materials, coupled with inefficient disposal systems and widespread limited environmental awareness, exacerbate the issue. Marine litter is "any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of, or abandoned in, the marine and coastal environment". It is found across the planet, including in remote regions far from civilisation - such as Antarctica, remote mountain-tops and the deep-sea ocean floor. In marine environments, the litter accumulates in high densities posing detrimental consequences for marine life. Many species either accidentally swallow or become entangled in the litter, resulting in injury and sometimes death. It also has economic consequences, for example by limiting fishery productivity. There is an urgent need to address marine litter both through the strengthening of existing strategies and through new innovations and technology. As marine litter is rooted in production and consumption patterns and the disposal and management of waste, it is these areas where interventions are necessary. The aim of the report is to look at what could be done at the federal level to reduce marine litter in our oceans by examining lessons from international case studies. The strategies are categorised in five themes: prevention (preventing the production of plastic and other litter in the first place), mitigation (minimising the amount of litter entering water sources), removal (removing litter from marine environments), education (educating the public and other key stakeholders) and research (understanding the extent and impact of marine litter). It is however important that the potential negative impacts of any policy recommendations are assessed before adoption. However, the Constitution prescribes no specific environmental regulatory powers to the Federal Government and those powers that the Federal Government does have through the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 are limited and weak. As stressed by numerous environmental organisations, including the Boomerang Alliance, Places You Love and Environmental Defenders Offices, there is an urgent need for national leadership both on marine litter and on environmental matters more generally. Details: Queensland, Australia: McKell Institute, 2018. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2019 at: https://mckellinstitute.org.au/app/uploads/Stopping-the-Spread-1.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://apo.org.au/node/204446 Shelf Number: 155492 Keywords: Australia Environmental Crime Green CriminologyHazardous Waste Marine LitterMarine Pollution Offences Against the Environment Plastic PollutionPolluted Oceans |
Author: Halleux, Vivienne Title: Single-Use Plastics and Fishing Gear Summary: Most of the plastic in our oceans originates from land-based sources. On European beaches, plastics make up 80-85% of marine litter, which is considered a major threat to marine and coastal biodiversity. Marine litter also costs the European Union economy an estimated 259 million euros to 695 million euros per year. In May 2018, the European Commission put forward a legislative proposal seeking to address the issue of marine litter from plastics. The proposal would introduce a series of measures regarding the top 10 single-use plastics found on European beaches, as well as fishing gear, with a view to reducing their impact on the environment and ensuring a functional internal market. After completion of the legislative procedure, the final act was signed by the presidents of the co-legislators (European Parliament and Council) on 5 June 2019, and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 12 June 2019. Member States have two years (i.e. until 3 July 2021) to transpose the new directive into national law. Fourth edition of a briefing originally drafted by Didier Bourguignon. Details: Brussels, Belgium: European Parliamentary Research Service, 2019. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2019 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/625115/EPRS_BRI%282018%29625115_EN.pdf Year: 2019 Country: International URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2018)625115 Shelf Number: 156722 Keywords: Environmental Crime Marine Litter Marine Pollution Plastic Pollution Polluted Oceans |