🔆 Ocean Pollution: A Global Environmental Threat

📍 What is Ocean Pollution?
Ocean pollution refers to the introduction of plastics, toxic metals, chemicals, and agricultural runoff into marine ecosystems, leading to ecological imbalance and human health risks.

📍 Key Impacts

✅ Microplastics Menace
• Account for 80% of ocean debris
• Ingested by marine animals, reaching humans via seafood
• Detected at 100m depth, disrupting the carbon cycle
📖 Source: Nature (2023)

✅ Harmed Marine Life
• Ingestion leads to reduced feeding and poor health
• Pollutants destroy habitats, threaten biodiversity

✅ Oxygen Depletion
• Decomposing waste consumes oxygen, suffocating marine life

✅ Risks to Human Health
• Contaminated seafood
• Toxic aerosols from sea spray may affect coastal populations

📍 Mitigation Measures

✅ Climate Change Action
• Cut greenhouse gas emissions to ease ocean stress

✅ Enhanced Monitoring
• Invest in data, satellite tech to track oxygen levels & pollution sources

✅ Awareness & Behaviour Change
• Public education to reduce plastic use & marine dumping

📍 Global Action & Treaties

✅ MARPOL – Regulates pollution from ships
✅ UNCLOS – Ensures sustainable ocean governance
✅ High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement, 2023)
• Adopted under UNCLOS
• Focus: Conserve marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction
• Targets: Reduce pollution, support sustainable use of high seas resources

📍 Fact Sheet

✅ Plastic = 80% of all marine pollution
✅ 8–10 million metric tons/year plastic enters oceans
✅ By 2050, plastic could outweigh all fish
📖 Source: UNESCO, Environmental Studies

#environment

UPSC Mapping Prelims Mains

🔆 Ocean Pollution: A Global Environmental Threat

📍 What is Ocean Pollution?
Ocean pollution refers to the introduction of plastics, toxic metals, chemicals, and agricultural runoff into marine ecosystems, leading to ecological imbalance and human health risks.

📍 Key Impacts

✅ Microplastics Menace
• Account for 80% of ocean debris
• Ingested by marine animals, reaching humans via seafood
• Detected at 100m depth, disrupting the carbon cycle
📖 Source: Nature (2023)

✅ Harmed Marine Life
• Ingestion leads to reduced feeding and poor health
• Pollutants destroy habitats, threaten biodiversity

✅ Oxygen Depletion
• Decomposing waste consumes oxygen, suffocating marine life

✅ Risks to Human Health
• Contaminated seafood
• Toxic aerosols from sea spray may affect coastal populations

📍 Mitigation Measures

✅ Climate Change Action
• Cut greenhouse gas emissions to ease ocean stress

✅ Enhanced Monitoring
• Invest in data, satellite tech to track oxygen levels & pollution sources

✅ Awareness & Behaviour Change
• Public education to reduce plastic use & marine dumping

📍 Global Action & Treaties

✅ MARPOL – Regulates pollution from ships
✅ UNCLOS – Ensures sustainable ocean governance
✅ High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement, 2023)
• Adopted under UNCLOS
• Focus: Conserve marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction
• Targets: Reduce pollution, support sustainable use of high seas resources

📍 Fact Sheet

✅ Plastic = 80% of all marine pollution
✅ 8–10 million metric tons/year plastic enters oceans
✅ By 2050, plastic could outweigh all fish
📖 Source: UNESCO, Environmental Studies

#environment

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