World Oceans Day
On World Oceans Day, dare to imagine an ocean free of plastic pollution
Unprecedented satellite technology helps protect the ocean
Satellite technology is facilitating crucial steps to increase transparency of previously unmapped fishing and shipping activities to improve ocean governance.
FAct now to beat plastic pollution. Learn about the global effort to tackle single-use plastics and how to make a difference.
With trillions of floating pieces of plastic in the open ocean today, it can be hard to recall life before the age of plastic waste. My home island, Hawaii, has some of the world’s dirtiest beaches, with fish eating plastic particles just days after being born — no surprise given that nearly two-thirds of all plastic becomes waste after a single use.
Plastic pollution damages humanity I took a vow to go after single-use plastic, not only because it’s ugly but because it is killing us. It is in our food and blood vessels. Plastics are on track to emit almost one-fifth of global greenhouse gases, making beating plastic pollution a key part of ensuring a liveable climate.
to establish an international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. A final round of negotiations is set to take place in November this year in Busan, South Korea.
Turning off the tap on plastic pollution requires joint efforts.
Turning off the tap on plastic pollution requires joint efforts by governments, cities, the finance sector and businesses, including 20 million waste pickers worldwide, Indigenous Peoples and civil society organisations. This is why I support the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) campaign to beat plastic pollution.
International treaty to end plastic pollution
Delegates from across the world have been negotiating since 2022
To deliver its promise, a plastics treaty must support zero-waste initiatives; offer subsidies and taxes to incentivise innovative technologies and disincentivise plastic production; have timebound targets to eliminate unnecessary single-use, short-lived and problematic plastics; boost the redesign of products to make reuse easier; strengthen recycling; and put the responsibility of cleaning up the remaining pollution on those who keep up production. These essential policies would shift us towards a circular economy. As with any historical correction, breaking away from plastic pollution would result in many winners while plastic polluters must be on the losing side. Ultimately, they will adapt to a new way of doing business, and their children and grandchildren will benefit from a world free of plastic pollution.
or years, Global Fishing Watch has catalogued vessel movements on its flagship map using satellite data and machine learning. It is now working with governments to use that information to help regulate coastal and international waters.
Satellite mapping of ocean industrial activity Research led by Global Fishing Watch and published in the scientific journal Nature this year highlighted an unprecedented view of previously unmapped industrial use of the ocean.
The study, ‘Satellite Mapping Reveals Extensive Industrial Activity at Sea,’ used machine learning and 2 million gigabytes of satellite imagery to create the first global map of vessel traffic and offshore infrastructure, revealing that 75% of the world’s industrial fishing vessels are not publicly tracked.
The nonprofit’s mission is to advance ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea by sharing information, map visualisations and data to help inform decisions. Director of Research and Innovation, David Kroodsma, says: “Our goal is to increase transparency in the ocean to help govern it better.”
While Google Maps offers satellite images of almost all land structures and roads, it is not the same with the ocean. By making data public and freeing that information for accountability purposes, that can change.
International agreements Historically, the biggest impact on the oceans has been fishing, but shipping and offshore energy are growing exponentially and impacting ecosystems. Charles Kilgour, Director of Programme Initiatives, warns that failure to act could see collapsed fish stocks and damage to food security and livelihoods.
Global Fishing Watch advocates for an international vessel tracking agreement. Moreover, it has advanced understanding of fishing activity, promoted transparency in ocean operations and developed a vital scientific mapping tool.
Kilgour says: “In 2012, the only way to see what was happening in a country’s waters was to send out patrol boats. Now, fishery managers can use our map to see what’s taking place across their waters, and their understanding of what is happening has completely changed.” For the nonprofit, the next step is to go from mapping to sustainably managing marine activities.
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET WHICH TAKES SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT
Jason Momoa UNEP Advocate for Life Below Water
Paid for by Global Fishing Watch
David Kroodsma Director of Research and Innovation, Global Fishing Watch
Find out more at globalfishingwatch.org Q2 2024 | GLOBALCAUSE.CO.UK
Charles Kilgour Director of Programme Initiatives, Global Fishing Watch
WRITTEN BY Mark Nicholls