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UNIT 1: WHERE DO WE STAND? THE STATE OF THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
It is worrying to
report that the
world’s water
crisis continues,
as there is little
integrated,
mutually
supportive action
on water
management,
either within or
beyond national
boundaries.
International Action to Reduce Water Pollution
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil,
commonly referred to as the ‘Law of the Sea’ and signed in 1954, was the
first international convention to address water pollution. Several annexes and
protocols followed. Other international agreements on water include:
• The Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against
Pollution, Barcelona, 1976, and subsequent protocols;
• The Convention for Co-operation in the Protection and Development of
Marine and Coastal Environment of the West and Central Africa Region,
1981, and subsequent protocols;
• The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and
Coastal Areas of the South-East Pacific, Lima, 1981, and subsequent
agreements;
• The Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine
and Coastal Environment of the Wide Caribbean Region, Cartegena de
Indias, 1983, and subsequent agreements;
• The Convention for the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution,
Bucharest, 1992;
• The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine
Environment from Land-based Activities, Washington, 1995.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has played an important role
in catalysing and organising regional agreements on marine pollution. It launched
the Regional Seas Programme, which has now grown to cover ten Action Plans
involving 120 countries. The Action Plans of the Regional Seas Programme cover
the Mediterranean, Kuwait, West and Central Africa, the Caribbean, East Asia, the
Southeast Pacific, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the South Pacific, Eastern
Africa, and South Asia.
Despite these efforts, it is worrying to report that the world’s water crisis continues,
as there is little integrated, mutually supportive action on water management,
either within or beyond national boundaries.
1.4 Biodiversity Loss
Biodiversity is the basic resource that acts as the earth’s life support system.
Soil formation, nutrient recycling, energy absorption, water purification, waste
degradation and the continuation of natural bio-chemical cycles all depend on
animals and plants. Biological systems are the culmination of billions of years of
evolution. They maintain essential natural processes at no additional cost to us.
Industrial and agricultural expansion, shifting and slash-and-burn cultivation, soil
degradation, water and air pollution, poor land-use practices, the depletion of
water sources, the conversion of natural habitats to other uses, the introduction
of non-native species and climate change are collectively causing the loss,
fragmentation and degradation of habitats and biodiversity. The 1995 UNEP Global
Biodiversity Assessment reports that species extinction is proceeding 50-100
times faster than the average expected natural rate. The drive for increasing
agricultural yields is further reducing the genetic diversity of crop plants.
Biodiversity protection is critical, as it is one of mankind’s most important
resources. A few examples include:
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