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Questions and Answers
What is marine pollution a type of?
What is a primary target under the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to marine pollution?
What is a consequence of marine pollution?
What is a source of marine pollutants?
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What can marine pollution threaten?
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What is affected by marine pollution?
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What is the primary source of marine pollution?
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How do mercury and sulfur dioxide loads enter aquatic ecosystems?
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What is the result of ocean acidification on marine creatures?
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What is the primary mechanism by which plastic waste affects marine life?
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What is the effect of increased carbon dioxide levels on ocean waters?
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What is the result of warmer ocean waters on oxygen levels?
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Study Notes
Marine Pollution
- Marine pollution refers to the contamination of the world's seas and oceans with pollutants like chemicals, litter, and sewage.
- It directly affects local marine ecosystems and the lifeforms they support.
Threats to Human Populations
- Marine pollution threatens drinking water safety, contaminates or kills food sources, and harms fishing and tourist economies.
- It also poses threats to human health, safety, and food security.
United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Reducing marine pollution by 2025 is a primary target under the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Specifically, SDG 14 aims to protect oceans, seas, and marine resources.
Sources of Marine Pollution
- Most marine pollutants originate on land as agricultural, industrial, and municipal wastes carried by rivers and streams to the seas or dumped directly into coastal waters.
- Atmospheric deposition and commercial activities like fishing and oil drilling also contribute to marine pollution.
Consequences of Marine Pollution
- Deoxygenation of local waters, or hypoxia, is a major consequence of marine pollution.
- Hypoxia threatens lifeforms that have evolved to survive under specific marine conditions.
- Highly toxic and slow-to-break-down pollutants, such as pesticides and complex organic compounds, are particularly concerning.
Plastic Waste Pollution
- Plastic waste has emerged as a serious marine pollution problem.
- Large amounts of plastic debris have been found on remote islands, and microscopic plastics threaten fish and other sea creatures.
International Initiatives
- Governments and international agencies have launched initiatives to monitor and clean up marine pollution.
- Critics argue that increased regulation of industry and other approaches could provide more effective solutions.
Background on Marine Pollution
- According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), around 80 percent of all marine pollution originates on land.
- Agricultural, industrial, and municipal wastes are the primary contributors to marine pollution.
Types of Marine Pollutants
- Common marine pollutants include sewage, sediment, chemical-laden industrial discharges, oil, and solid waste, particularly discarded plastics.
- Land-based contaminants also enter marine waters through atmospheric deposition.
Ocean Acidification
- The burning of fossil fuels overloads the atmosphere with carbon dioxide, which the oceans absorb, making them more acidic.
- Ocean acidification poses a risk to creatures that build their shells or exoskeletons from minerals naturally present in seawater.
Ocean Warming and Hypoxia
- The absorption of carbon dioxide by oceans leads to oxygen depletion, or hypoxia.
- Warmer waters naturally hold less oxygen than cooler waters, contributing to hypoxia.
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Description
Marine pollution threatens marine ecosystems and human health, affecting drinking water, food sources, and economies.
