Page 55 - BILANCIO DI SOSTENIBILITÀ 2017 RISULTATI E PROSPETTIVE

SEA ENVIRONMENT 53

MARINE POLLUTION AND
THE THREAT TO BIODIVERSITY
Marine pollution is one of the critical issues of the UN’s 2030 Agenda, with one of the goals being devoted to
this subject and to the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources. Problems
include the reduction of biodiversity and the deterioration of coastal waters owing to pollution, especially
plastic pollution.
Around three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods. Marine fisheries directly
or indirectly employ hundreds of millions of people, often providing sustainable livelihoods for entire coastal fishing
communities.
Oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide produced by humans.
As much as 40% of the world’s oceans are heavily affected by human activities, including pollution, depleted fisheries,
and loss of coastal habitats.
20% of the world’s coral reefs are lost, 24% are degraded and at risk of imminent collapse and a further 25% face a
threat for their long-term survival.
The Mediterranean Sea has lost 41% of its marine mammals and 34% of the total fish population in the last 50
the danger it posed to marine life. tangibly to their preservation. The years , largely due to overfishing.
7
During the cruise the researchers also Corporation began providing funding in Every year approximately 10 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the oceans, feeding huge garbage patches, where
arranged seminars and talks for the 2014 (with a US$2.5 million financial tiny bits of plastic are trapped together by the currents, forming large islands of rubbish - the Pacific ‘trash vortex’
tourists on board, illustrating their commitment) and the program has accounts for an area as large as Turkey.
work, the main results and the impact enabled the creation of a series of The mobilization called for by the UN is particularly challenging, especially as regards financing biodiversity protection.
of current fishing industry practices innovative tools and the identification of The Convention on Biological Diversity estimates that an initial outlay of around $32 billion is required followed by annual
on biodiversity. Again, the ultimate key resources to support decision-making funding to the tune of about $21 billion for effective climate change mitigation using currently available technology. This is
aim of these scientific dissemination processes and determine investments a necessary investment considering that continuing with ‘business-as-usual’ policies would result in loss and damage costing
activities was to help raise awareness of in coastal areas. The Mapping Ocean as much as €200 billion a year. The UN recommends a multi-stakeholder framework, especially as regards protection of the
the threats to the marine environment Wealth tool provides a critical mechanism most vulnerable areas. This includes major roles both for scientific research - aimed at understanding and therefore better
stemming from unsustainable fishing to understand and explore specific predicting the dynamics of marine and coastal ecosystems - and, more importantly, for the transformation of production
and other destructive practices. ecosystem services and use this is a basis and consumption models.
The oceans supply half of the essential for the correct allocation of funding One of the most urgent questions is the exploitation of marine fauna and flora; indeed, the growing demand for fish and
oxygen for the planet, provide in order to maximize societal benefits. fish products is gradually outstripping supply while overfishing means that many of the world’s fish species are either
sustenance for millions of people around Without this, the definition of restoration fully exploited or depleted. Another less evident but no less deadly threat to marine life is ocean acidification from burning
the world and consequently have a planning activities and, above all, priorities fossil fuels; acidification is another effect of pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as the gas dissolves in seawater
significant impact on coastal economies. for intervention would not be possible. to produce weak carbonic acid. The result is that the increasingly acid seas are becoming more hostile to vital marine life.
The support of Carnival Corporation The support for the Ocean Wealth
for the Mapping Ocean Wealth project Mapping initiative has already yielded Awareness of the need to address these issues is an important first step on the path to more eco-friendly, sustainable
managed by The Nature Conservancy, critically important and new datasets practices on the part of all stakeholders - particularly businesses. A shared approach is required with a joint commitment to
one of the world’s most important about the economic, social and cultural limiting marine pollution and combating climate change. This is a truly global challenge that demands a global response.
ecosystem conservation organizations, values of coastal and marine habitats
stems from the desire to contribute for countless kilometers of coastline. 7 Source: ISMAR (Institute of Marine Sciences) - CNR (Italian National Research Council).