At the beginning of March in New York, negotiators reached a historic agreement on the protection of life on the planet: the High Seas Treaty. This is the second major agreement on the environment in the space of just three months, following on from Cop15 dedicated to the protection of biodiversity, which ratified the protection of 30% of land and sea by 2030, as reinforced by this treaty. The agreement provides, for example, for the creation of marine protected areas, the release of funds (with some states paying more) to contribute to the development of these areas, and the sharing of marine genetic resources.
In theory at least, it seems that countries now have a complete arsenal at their disposal, enabling them to act on the major threats to the planet: the climate emergency, the biodiversity crisis and pollution. Efforts must not falter, however, as the treaty still has to be ratified by at least 60 countries before it comes into force.
Why is it so important to protect the ocean? Because yes, it is the planet’s first lung!
The ocean, which covers 71% of the planet’s surface, is a kind of control center that has sustained life on Earth since its origin. Since 1870, it has sequestered 155 billion tonnes of CO2. It absorbs over 90% of the energy surplus caused by the increased concentration of man-made GHGs (greenhouse gases), and sequesters around a quarter of the CO2 emitted by humans every year. So far, the ocean has helped to slow the pace of climate change and the violence of its impacts. Without the magic of this natural mechanism, we would already be overwhelmed by unbearable heat.
According to the OECD, almost half the world’s population depends on the oceans for their livelihood. Yet protecting the seas and oceans is a relatively recent concept in human history. For centuries, they have been regarded as inexhaustible resources, available to be exploited without limit. Unfortunately, this overexploitation has far-reaching consequences, with the ocean facing numerous threats to its health:
- Pollution: human activities such as agriculture, industry, plastic waste and toxic chemical discharges cause pollution that can affect the health of marine ecosystems and water quality.
- Climate change: rising water temperatures, rising sea levels, ocean acidification and extreme weather events such as storms and hurricanes are disrupting marine ecosystems and threatening the survival of many marine species.
- Overfishing and illegal fishing are depleting fish populations and disrupting marine ecosystems.
- Coastal urbanization: urban development along the coast destroys coastal habitats and increases ocean pollution.
- Invasive species: marine species introduced by man can invade and disrupt native marine ecosystems.
- Shipping activities: ships cause collisions with marine animals and groundings, as well as spills of oil and other pollutants.
- A final, very important point that concerns ocean-dependent communities. Indeed, the current management system is profoundly unequal and unfair, as it allows a handful of nations to exploit these resources on the high seas without sharing a large part of the benefits with neighboring coastal communities.
All these threats have an impact on ocean health and marine ecosystems. What would happen if the ocean were no longer able to interact with the atmosphere and provide all its ecosystem services? That’s why it’s so important to take steps to protect it and keep it healthy for future generations.
A rainbow tripod fish, photographed at 5 meters.
Over the last few decades, it has therefore become clear that human activities have a significant impact on the health of the oceans and marine ecosystems. Pollution, overfishing, climate change and coastal urbanization have all contributed to the deterioration of the ocean’s health.
The 1960s-1970s saw the emergence of movements to protect it and the creation of organizations such as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, which played a major role in raising public awareness, educating the public and advocating conservation measures.
However, at the political level, the ocean has remained the great forgotten for many years. It was not on the COP agenda until 2015 in Paris, when it made a very timid appearance, but it did lead to the publication of the special report drawn up by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) 4 years later: ” the ocean and cryosphere in the context of climate change . The disasters predicted in this report are chilling, yet voluntary and effective decisions have continued to elude us. COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 will finally raise awareness thanks to presentations by scientists and themed events, or on another note, the intervention of the Foreign Minister of the United States of America. Tuvalu, Simon Kofe, who gave a speech via videoconference with his feet in the water to warn of the consequences of rising sea levels. We’ll have to wait until March 2023 and the High Seas Treaty for any real measures to protect the ocean.
Environmental NGOs, such as Greepeace, welcomed this historic step forward with enthusiasm:
” This treaty is a huge victory for ocean protection, and shows that multilateralism still has its place in an increasingly divided world. “
But there’s still a lot to be done to protect our ocean, and I’d like to focus on two crucial issues that concern it, and that should concern us all as businesses and consumers:
plastic pollution and deep-sea mining.
While the High Seas Treaty represents a great step forward, it is only one piece of the puzzle, and other tools need to be created to ensure broader ocean protection. For example, there is currently no system for protecting the deep sea. And the ocean is in great need of them in the face of industrial and national greed. With land-based mineral resources running out, mining companies are trying to access minerals such as cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel and many others from the seabed. In June 2021, the island state of Nauru and Canadian mining company The Metals Company (TMC) precipitated negotiations by activating the “two-year trigger rule” with the International Seabed Authority (ISA). This means that mining licenses could be issued as early as July 2023, even if the regulations are not finalized within two years, and they will be authorized to continue mining.
Deep-sea mining is an extremely destructive activity, and there is an unfortunate risk that it will continue to develop, despite the fact that its impacts extend far beyond the boundaries of the mining areas: among them thehe disappearance of species and habitats due to the chemical modification of ocean systems, the release of carbon into ocean soils and the disruption of abyssal ecosystems by sediment plumes and noise pollution. Scientists fear that deep-sea ecosystems will never recover from the effects of mining.
What to do?
Scientists and NGOs call on governments to implement a worldwide moratorium on deep-sea mining due to the lack of research and data on the deep sea and the lack of visibility on the irreversible impacts of this activity. A statement calling for a postponement was signed by pore than 700 ocean specialists, some major companies and banks have pledged similar support or put in place policies to exclude funding for deep-sea mining, and twelve countries have called for a moratorium, with France going so far as to call for an outright ban.
The Seabed Authority is meeting in Jamaica until March 31, and offers an opportunity to put the brakes on this race to excavate the seabed. However, the complexity of the discussions (which began in 2014) and the many issues to be deliberated do not guarantee that an agreement will be reached by July 9, the deadline imposed by Nauru’s action. It’s unclear what could happen if mining companies submit applications to begin excavations in the absence of regulations. And once they’ve started, they’ll be hard to stop.
What these companies carefully fail to mention is that we have the means to choose not to exploit the seabed as part of our sustainable transition. WWF published a report in November 2022 stating that innovation in battery technology, which today requires ores such as nickel and cobalt from the ocean depths, could reduce battery use by 58%. And let’s not forget the recovery and recycling of electronic devices containing these already extracted metals. Greenpeace Germany published a report in March which informs us that the deep seabed will not provide the lithium or graphite needed for the ecological transition, contrary to what mining companies claim. A large number of metals cannot be mined for technical and commercial reasons.
Precious metals mining companies also have their sights set on the treasures of the ocean depths. On the west coast of Africa, mining giant De Beers uses a fleet of specialized vessels to drag machines along the seabed in search of diamonds. Every hour, these ships suck up hundreds of square meters of sand and silt from the seabed, which are sieved on board, then the semi-processed diamonds are transported by helicopter to the mainland… In 2018, these vessels extracted 1.4 million carats from Namibia’s coastal waters. In 2019 the company has ordered a new vessel that will scrape the bottom twice as fast as any other vessel.
Nautilus Minerals operates in the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea, while Japan and South Korea have national projects to exploit their own offshore deposits. But the most important issue for these mining companies is access to international waters, which represent more than half of the planet’s seabed and contain more precious minerals than all the continents combined.
Where are we going to stop to support this frantic pace of production and consumption? We wouldn’t be surprised to learn that these companies, with their colossal resources, are currently probing the universe to identify mineral deposits on Mars or Venus…
Another very worrying aspect, and one that mirrors the mechanisms at work in other fields involving the exploitation of natural resources, is the total lack of fairness in the projects of countries and companies. Yet the Law of the Sea stipulates that the ocean and its resources are part of the public domain. “common heritage of mankind and these resources are supposed to be “vested in all mankind” according to the UN treaty. Unfortunately, there are no mechanisms in place to ensure that mining benefits as many people as possible.
There is still hope, of course, and the mobilization of NGOs and movements such as “Look Down” is very strong in urging governments to intervene and declare that until there is sufficient scientific research into the potential risks, and strict regulations are in place to protect the ocean and the as-yet-unknown deep-sea ecosystems it harbors, no authorization should be issued.
Ocean plasticization in 11 figures
1.
5,000 billion pieces of plastic are already floating in our oceans.
2.
Worldwide, 73% of beach litter is plastic: cigarette filters, bottles, corks, food packaging, polystyrene bags and bins.
3.
Global plastic production has grown exponentially, from 2.3 million tonnes in 1950 to 162 million in 1993 and 448 million in 2015.
4.
Since 2015, over 6.9 billion tonnes of plastic waste have been produced. Around 9% were recycled, 12% were incinerated and 79% accumulated in landfills or in nature.
5.
1 million seabirds ingest and die from plastic every year
6.
Worldwide, nearly a million plastic bottles are sold every minute.
7.
Estimates of the lifespan of plastic range from 450 years to infinity.
8.
Today, the main market for plastics is packaging. This segment now accounts for almost half of all plastic waste produced worldwide, most of which is never recycled or incinerated.
9.
According to the latest reports, around 700 species of marine animals have already ingested plastic or been trapped in it.
10.
Over 40% of plastic is used only once, before being thrown away*.
10.
24,400 billion plastic fragments (microplastics) drift in the oceans, five times more than in 2015.
It’s important to understand that all activities on land, whether industrial or domestic, are partly responsible for marine pollution.
In 2016, during an expedition to Madeira Island, the first “plasticroûtes” were observed.
plasticroûtes “, rocks encrusted with plastic from our plastic waste, presumably fishing nets.
“
This type of plastic waste in rock formations will go down in the record books as a symbol of the Anthropocene, that concept of a geological era in which humans have an influence on nature
“
Fernanda Avelar Santos, researcher
And when plastic waste decomposes, it turns into micro and even nano plastics, which are released into our food and water systems, a scourge we’ve not heard the last of.
The journal Environmental Science and Technology reports that humans may be consuming between 39,000 and 52,000 particles of microplastic, 74,000 if we include inhaled microplastics – the equivalent of a credit card a week. The image is seductive…
These microplastics enter our bodies through the food we eat and the water we drink. In Europe, around 72% of tap water contains plastic. According to the British newspaper Telegraph, there are roughly two plastic fibers per 500 milliliters. The effects on our health are not known, but some studies show that “above a certain level of exposure, inhalation of plastic fibers produces mild inflammation of the respiratory tract”, according to Telegraph. It also depends on the different types of plastic: some contain chemical additives, known as endocrine disruptors, which can affect sexual function and fertility, or increase the risk of cancer.
Our clothes are one of the world’s biggest sources of microplastic pollution. In fact, they release microfibers through our washing machines and tumble dryers, ending up in waterways and in the air. Many of these microfibers are small pieces of plastic from synthetic fabrics such as polyester, a cheap and versatile material for manufacturers, and therefore widespread, especially among fast-fashion brands.
HOW CAN WE AVOID PLASTICS AND MICROPLASTICS?
For your health
-Drink tap water rather than bottled water, which contains on average twice as many microplastics as tap water (according to American chemist Sherri Mason).
-Use a water filter system to reduce the concentration of microplastics in the water.
-Do not heat food in plastic. Heated plastics are known to release chemicals into food.
microplastics are released from baby bottles during formula preparation, according to a study by scientists at Trinity College Dublin.
-Hot liquids, such as formula milk or the water used to sterilize baby bottles, release more of these tiny fragments.
-Avoid plastic containers of any kind, including cosmetics.
-Make sure your home is well ventilated, as the concentration of airborne plastics is much higher indoors.
-Vacuum often to remove microplastic dust that accumulates on the floor, and remove carpets that trap fibers and plastic particles.
-Choose hardwood or ceramic tile floors, as vinyl and linoleum flooring can release microplastics into the air.
FOR THE HEALTH OF THE OCEAN
Choose natural, eco-friendly fibers when buying clothing and bedding, as they release fewer microplastics and harmful chemicals.
-Although textiles can also lose microfibers during manufacture or simply when worn, rethinking the way you wash can make all the difference. Washing a single load of synthetic garments can release millions of microfibers:
-Use a wash bag like the one from Guppyfriend, which has been designed to filter the microfibers released by textiles during washing to prevent plastic pollution (reduces fiber loss by 54%).
-Reduce the frequency of your laundry, and ask yourself if you really need to wash a garment you’ve only worn once. At the same time, you save water and energy.
-Air-dry your clothes as often as possible, as microfibers are also released by tumble dryers.
-Optimize your washing machine’s load and avoid running the machine half or partially (research suggests that microfiber loss is greater when large quantities of water agitate a small quantity of clothes).
-Wash your clothes at a lower temperature and for a shorter time, as hotter, longer washes can produce more polluting fibers.
Front-loading washing machines are preferable, as they generate fewer microfibers than top-loaders.
-There are a number of devices designed to combat microfiber pollution, including washing machine filters and washing bags and balls. Studies suggest that filters are the most effective.
-If you use a filtering device such as a washing bag or balls, or a filter, dispose of the captured fibers in the waste garbage can, preferably covered, and take care not to rinse down the sink whatever has been used to capture the fibers.
-Some washing machines, like the GRUNDIG FiberCatcher, retain up to 90% of microfibers in synthetic-fiber cycles (depending on the manufacturer).
-Use a reusable shopping bag.
-Turn your back on straws and disposable cutlery.
Buy second-hand instead of new, to reduce the extraction of raw materials.
-Use products made from recycled materials.
-Buy locally and without plastic packaging.
-Prepare your meals and store your food in reusable containers.
-Carry your own reusable water bottle.
Turn your back on single-use plastics.
Adopting all these tips won’t solve the problem, but it will undoubtedly contribute to it, as well as setting an example for those around you and helping to change attitudes.
The exponential increase in plastic concentrations in our environment and the growing number of reports of the disasters they cause underline the importance of improving the management of plastic waste and removing it from ecosystems. But that won’t be enough either.
The most effective way to combat this pollution is simply to stop producing it and find sustainable, non-polluting alternatives to replace it.
Breaking the Plastic Wave report published in 2020 confirms that reducing plastic production is the most effective way to combat pollution.
While it’s laudable that many brands are committed to protecting the oceans and making products from recycled plastic, their proposals will remain nothing more than a “band-aid” if they overshadow the search for lasting solutions to the root causes of the problem.
Among the many actions to be taken is the invention of plastic-free packaging, as pioneered by the London start-up Notpla which has the potential to replace over 100 million plastic packaging items in the future (in the food industry in particular) and has also helped revolutionize luxury packaging with the first 100% compostable and biodegradable algae-based packaging, produced for the circular watch brand ID Genève.
It’s time to take a closer look at garment design and develop plastic-free textile fibers, as pioneering sustainable fashion brand Stella McCartney has been doing for many years, and has just unveiled its latest innovation in partnership with start-up Radiant Matter.
BioSequin
is an iridescent material made from plant cellulose, and bans all metals, minerals, pigments and synthetic dyes.
To discover more examples, the No Plastic In My Sea report published on March 16 lists 500 solutions that already exist in France and abroad, along with twelve recommendations for solving this huge problem. It targets the most polluting products, such as plastic bottles, packaging, microplastics, cigarette butts and fishing tackle.
Whether we’re talking about deep-sea metal mining, overfishing, maritime freight or plastic pollution, we always come to the same conclusion, which is based on the same logic: we won’t get out of the crisis by continuing to consume so frenetically and by simply sticking plasters on the most serious wounds.
Developing solutions to solve the consequences of a problem that really needs to be tackled at root is a headlong rush we can no longer afford.
As the scientists tell us again in the latest IPCC report, the solutions exist, we don’t have much time, but we can get there if we are determined and if our governments finally show the political courage and determination to move from slow march to sprint.
