life on earth originated from the oceans, and the manner in which these oceans are being polluted today through effluent of all sorts, is unfortunate. Humankind is not just killing these oceans but also itself in the long run
Oceans of the world have always been an indispensable part of state diplomacy and international politics, be it a belligerent China staking its claim over South China Sea or India attempting to keep its territorial waters in the Indian Ocean free from the prying efforts of its neighbours. The flexing of Naval muscle over maritime assets as a strategic part of military domination coupled with the relentless exploitation of these assets for their minerals and other resources, has dealt an irrecoverable blow to the delicate ecology that survives in the depths of these natural wonders.
One the major pollutants of the marine life have been plastic. The world has been producing 20 times more plastic than it did in 1964. Every year, between five and 13 million more tonnes of plastics wind up in the world’s oceans and a whopping 80 per cent of that waste pours in from just 20 countries. China is the most egregious offender, discarding nearly 30 per cent of the world’s ocean-bound plastics. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation report, ‘The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics’, if the same pace of plastics production continued along with its unsafe disposal, by 2050 the oceans could contain more plastics than fish, weight-wise. The adverse impact of plastics and other refuse being dumped into the ocean is already taking its toll. The sperm whales that recently beached themselves on Germany’s North Sea Coast, had shocking contents inside their stomachs, such as fishing gear, car parts and immense quantity of plastic.
The sperm whales normally migrate from their tropical or sub-tropical breeding grounds to colder waters at higher latitudes. The species is one of the deepest diving animals in the cetacean family, known to plummet as far as 3,280 feet in search of food. The polluting content found in these whales presents a very concerning situation. According the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, a non-profit organisation, in addition to the marine litter, the noise pollution from ships and drilling surveys is leading to disorientation of whales and other marine fauna, leading to a systematic destruction of their habitats.
In the backdrop of the worsening quality of oceans globally, India must take an urgent stock of the seas under its purview. This is very much crucial especially in coastal areas that are abutting megacities as the effluent and sewage discharge is very high in these areas. Accurate data and information is crucial for any meaningful action and initiative in this regard, therefore the authorities need to conduct a State of Ocean Report annually and publish the findings. The report can help take stock of the situation and assess the impact of the measures taken to cleanse the seas.
Additionally, it is crucial to regulate what is going into the seas. Plastic invariably finds its way to the seas, and to prevent this, the Government must accelerate the plastics recycling initiative. Apart from this, it is also important to initiate a fundamental re-think of the way plastic products are designed. This alone can change the route of used plastics and prevent them from ending into oceans, thereby making it easy for the environment. In order to further strengthen the drive to make oceans cleaner, the Government must also establish zero tolerance on waste disposal by ships and commercial traffic on the major sea routes passing through Indian waters.
left unchecked, oceanic pollution can extract a heavy economic cost. For instance, communities in California, US, spend at least $428 million a year combating litter and clearing trash from their beaches. Similarly, there are ‘garbage patches’ comprising millions of pounds of floating debris in the Pacific Ocean, and harming marine life and disrupting food chains. Traditionally, huge oil spills have always made the headlines but there is much more to marine pollution.
Trash litters coastlines around the world and man-made pollutants such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals have entered the marine food chain.
It is of utmost importance that India, as an emerging economic superpower, recognises the importance of maintaining the ecological sanctity of our seas. The Government must initiate a ban on the use of single use plastic packs, as they increase the usage of plastic. Additionally, the use of microbeads must also be immediately prohibited. These little plastic scrubbers found in many beauty products such as facial scrubs, toothpaste and body washes, might look harmless, but their tiny size allows them to slip through water-treatment plants and unfortunately, they also look just like food to the marine fauna. life on earth originated from the oceans, and the manner in which these oceans are being polluted today, is sad.
(The writer is an environmental journalist)