PROTECTING THE OCEANS

WHY IN THE NEWS?

 Oceans are said to be the lungs of our planet. Recently, World Ocean Day was celebrated on June 8, 2022, with the theme, “Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean”. This year World Ocean Day focused on the life and livelihood that the ocean sustains.

FUNCTIONS OF OCEAN

1. Regulation of climate- Oceans influence the global For e.g. –the Indian Monsoon mechanism.
2. Replenishing oxygen- According to the UN, at least 50% of the oxygen is produced by the
3. Supporting Humanity- Ocean provides food and nutritional
4. Livelihood- By 2030, around 40 million people would be employed in Ocean-based Industries.
5. Tourism-Marine tourism supports a substantial part of the GDP of several
6. International shipping lanes- Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCS) plays a critical role in energy security and the socio-economic development of the
7. Resources- Ocean is a rich source of minerals, polymetallic Nodules, medicinal products, and rich flora and
8. Carbon sequestration- 30% of carbon dioxide is absorbed by the oceans, produced by human activities, buffering the impacts of global

CHALLENGES

 Human-induced Actions

1. Climate change- Rapid change in climate and increased Global warming disturb the ocean
2. Ocean acidification- Decrease in pH of the Earth’s oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere which corrodes animal shells and their existence at
3. Eutrophication- Excessive growth (or bloom) of algae and plankton in water bodies due to enriched nutrients from fertilizers, and industrial wastages may kill a wide variety of marine species. As per UN estimates, around 90% of big fish populations were
4. Coral bleaching- Due to the rise in sea temperature and increased uptake of carbon dioxide, the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae get disturbed leading to coral destruction. According to UN estimates, around 50% of coral reefs
5. Sedimentation- Solid waste discharges from industries before treatment and fertilizer runoffs negatively impact the water quality and the lives in it.
6. Melting of Polar ice caps- melting of ice caps and rise in sea level due to increased green gas house emissions disturbs the coastal communities. Moreover, the effect of increasing fresh water on marine life is yet to be

Direct Human Intervention

1. Pollution 
   • Toxic Chemicals from Industries are directly discharged into the oceans,
   • Micro plastics- Oceans have a lot of plastic waste being disposed of in them which is degrading the life in
2. Oil spills- Pollution caused by ships is extremely toxic to marine life, and it suffocates marine animals to
3. Deep-sea mining- Drilling of ocean sites for silver, gold, copper, cobalt, and zinc creates excessive sulfide deposits.
4. Overfishing- Continued practice of bottom
5. Land runoffs- Land-based sources such as agricultural run-off, discharge of nutrients and pesticides, and untreated sewage including plastics account for approximately 80% of marine

MEASURES

Global actions

1. UN 2021-2030 Decade of Ocean Science – The UN has declared a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to support efforts to restore ocean health.
2. UN Ocean Conference – UN Ocean Conference or Lisbon declaration aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and allocate funds to research on ocean acidification, climate resilience, and surveillance.
3.  Food and Agricultural Organisation – Aims at addressing improper agricultural practices and bringing behavioral changes toward sustainable agricultural practices.

India’s action

1. Deep ocean mission- Technological Innovations for Exploration and Conservation of Deep-sea biodiversity and to estimate the potential of polymetallic nodules in the
2. National Fishing Policy- A national policy for promoting the ‘Blue Growth Initiative’ which focuses on sustainable utilization of fisheries wealth from marine and other aquatic
3. Blue Economy- Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem

WAYFORWARD

1. Research and development- Understand the scientific reasons behind the changes and disseminate and, collaborate with different
2. Mapping of vulnerable ocean areas- Actively mapping vulnerable sites and prioritizing actions on the basis of
3. Global Governance- Oceans are considered as global commons; thus, an integrative initiative will
4. Marine spatial Planning- Analyze and allocate the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine
5. Political Will- Active implementation of international policies and plans to conserve
6. Funding- adequate funds for sustainable development raised through Public-Private
7. Bioremediation- Use of specific microorganisms to metabolize and remove harmful substances to treat oil
8. Organic Farming- Limit agricultural pesticides and encourage organic farming & eco-friendly pesticide use.
9. Proper sewage treatment and exploration of eco-friendly wastewater treatment options to be
10. Deep-sea sea fishing- Transition from trawling to deep-sea fishing is a better solution

CONCLUSION

The need of the hour is to better find a new balance in our relationship with the marine environment and focus on the mantra – ‘Restore Ocean resources, Repair the ocean ecosystem and return to sustainable use of ocean resources’. It will lead the way in achieving sustainable Development Goal: 14 – To conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.