Marine dead zones to put Philippines at risk—UN

MANILA, Philippines—The United Nations and government environment officials have warned of increasing number of marine dead zones in the world, putting countries like the Philippines, which depend heavily on the oceans for food and jobs, in a precarious economic position.

Speaking at the first “Global Conference on Land-Ocean Connections,” UN Environment Program (UNEP) Director on Environmental Policy Ibrahim Thiaw warned on Monday of exploding marine litter from cities, fertilizers, tourism and industrial activities.

The pollutants from land have choked the life out in some of the world’s oceans, which have led to loss of habitats and species, he said.

“The health and integrity of our coasts have been further impacted by increased urbanization and tourism, over-exploitation of natural resources, and the ever-increasing marine pollution loads from maritime and land-based activities,” Thiaw said.

“One specific threat is the proliferation of ‘dead zones,’ where excess algal blooms stimulated by fertilizers and sewage are consuming all of the oxygen in the water, resulting in no or little life left in these areas. Over 240,000 square kilometers of estuaries and shelf areas and some of the most productive waters are affected by this threat,” he said.

The issue of wastes and litter in the world’s oceans and tributaries has often been neglected, Thiaw said, adding that the pollutants are out of sight and, therefore, “out of mind” of the communities and governments.

Sewage, for example, is a major source of pollution in the water. According to Thiaw, the world discharges 3 billion tons of wastewater every day and only 10 percent is treated. The rest of the waste would end up in estuaries and in the seas, damaging marine habitats and contaminating fisheries, he said.

Thiaw noted that dead zones have been increasing in Asia. The largest whirlpool of microscopic trash in the world can be found in the Pacific high seas, a major spawning and fishing ground for the Philippines.

Thiaw noted that dead zones in the developing world could result in huge economic losses for countries dependent on marine resources.

In the Philippines, for instance, it could mean a decline in the quality of fishes for food and loss of jobs for millions of Filipino fishermen and their families.

The Philippines, the second-largest archipelago in the world, has one of the longest coastlines at nearly 40,000 kilometers.

The seas supply more than 80 percent of the animal protein of the Filipino public and more than 60 percent of the country’s 96 million population lives near the coast, according to Environment Secretary Ramon Paje.

“These bare facts alone underscore both the importance of marine and coastal resources to our people, and the strain and stress that land-based activities exert on these resources in particular and on the oceans in general,” Paje said.

Aside from the land-ocean connection conference, the UNEP will also conduct the Third Intergovernmental Review Meeting (IGR3) on the Implementation of the Global Program of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment.

Thiaw explained that the GPA has been meant to respond to the threats on the world’s oceans by helping governments and communities manage their land-based activities to reduce the impact on marine ecosystems.

Around 500 participants, 200 of whom from different countries around the world, are expected to attend the twin events organized by the UNEP.

The participants will include representatives from over 70 governments, as well as scientists and marine experts.

Paje said the outcome of the meeting, a non-legally binding document that would guide countries on how to protect their seas and coasts, would be called the Manila Declaration. It would be one of the inputs in the UN Rio + 20 Conference on Sustainable Development in June, he said.