Marine Environment Plagued by Pollution, UN Says

[Barrett808]

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, October 4, 2006 (ENS) - The world's marine environment is increasingly polluted with sewage and agricultural waste and littered with trash, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The report, released today, finds that this rising pollution is having serious adverse health, economic and environmental impacts and warns that reversing course will not be easy.

"An estimated 80 per cent of marine pollution originates from the land and this could rise significantly by 2050 if, as expected, coastal populations double in just over 40 years time and action to combat pollution is not accelerated," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. "We have a long way to go politically, technically and financially if we are to hand over healthy and productive seas and oceans to the next generation."

UNEP's State of the Marine Environment report also notes rising concern over the increasing damage and destruction of essential and economically important coastal ecosystems, including mangrove forests, coral reefs and seagrass beds.

The report has been compiled by UNEP's global program of action (GPA) for protection of the marine environment. The findings will be given to more than 60 national governments attending an intergovernmental review of the 10 year-old GPA initiative in Beijing, China, from October 16-20.

The study reports that sewage may be "the most serious problem" facing the marine environment, in part because it is the area where the least progress has been made.

(more)

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2006/2006-10-04-01.asp

[OneBlueSky]

1. it's a big job, but humankind might just end up killng the seas . . . n/t

.

[Barrett808]

2. We're well on our way -- see "Altered Oceans" by LA Times

Altered Oceans: A Five-part Series on the Crisis in the Sea
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/oceans/la-oceans-series,0,7842752.special