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The Hidden Threat: Ballast Water and Its Impact on Our Oceans (Ballast Water Management System)

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1.1 The Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect describes how gases like CO₂ and methane trap the sun’s heat in Earth’s atmosphere, creating a warming blanket that sustains life. Human-driven activities have amplified this effect, increasing temperatures worldwide.

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1.2 Example of Global Warming’s Impact: Glacier Melting

One visible result of global warming is the melting of glaciers. This phenomenon causes sea levels to rise, posing a significant threat to coastal communities and altering ecosystems dependent on ice-covered environments.

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1.3 COP28 (UAE, 2023): Objectives and Outcomes

COP28, held in the UAE in 2023, prioritized climate action through emissions cuts, resilience building, and financial support for climate initiatives. A notable outcome was the formation of a fund for climate-related damages, and an agreement to phase out fossil fuels to limit temperature rise.

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2.1 Offshore Oil Production Worldwide

The global offshore oil industry provides essential energy resources, particularly from regions like the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. While these operations are economically vital, they bring environmental risks, including pollution and marine disturbances.

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1. Greenland - 2,166,086 square kilometers

2. New Guinea - 785,753 square kilometers

3. Borneo - 748,168 square kilometers

4. Madagascar - 587,041 square kilometers

5. Baffin Island - 507,451 square kilometers

6. Sumatra - 473,481 square kilometers

7. Honshu - 225,800 square kilometers

8. Victoria Island - 217,291 square kilometers

9. Great Britain - 209,331 square kilometers

10. Ellesmere Island - 196,236 square kilometers

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2.3 Recent Oil Spill Incident

A recent major oil spill impacted a marine area, harming wildlife and local economies. The incident underscored the environmental hazards linked to oil extraction, with efforts launched to minimize the damage and restore affected regions.

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Ballast water is used to stabilize ships but is discharged into new ecosystems, often carrying invasive species. These species can disrupt local biodiversity and cause economic and ecological damage.

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World fisheries are essential for global food security, supplying nearly 20% of the animal protein consumed worldwide. Over 3 billion people rely on fish as a primary protein source. Fisheries also employ millions, with a significant share in developing nations.

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The Pacific Ocean contributes the most to global fish production, driven by countries like China, Indonesia, and Japan.

The Atlantic Ocean supports important fisheries in the Americas and Europe, such as cod and herring.

The Indian Ocean is vital for tropical fisheries, with species like tuna being the primary catch.

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Overfishing: Around 34% of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited. Overfishing leads to the extinction of certain species, such as bluefin tuna.

Bycatch: Non-targeted marine life, like dolphins and turtles, is often caught and discarded, harming ecosystems.

Illegal Fishing: Estimated at $10–23 billion annually, this practice undermines sustainability.

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Aquaculture: Farmed seafood now accounts for over 50% of the fish consumed globally, reducing stress on wild populations.

International Regulations: The FAO Code of Conduct and UN Fisheries Agreements ensure sustainable fishing.

Consumer Action: Labels like MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) help consumers support sustainable practices.

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The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture

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The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) is the biennial flagship report of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division that analyses the status o…

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FAO Report: Global fisheries and aquaculture production reaches a new record high

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Aquaculture surpasses capture fisheries in aquatic animal production for the first time, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 says 

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Main Challenges:

Pollution:

Plastics: Over 14 million tons enter oceans yearly, harming marine animals like sea turtles and whales.

Chemical runoff: Pesticides and industrial waste damage water quality and marine ecosystems.

Climate Change:

Ocean warming causes coral bleaching, threatening biodiversity hotspots.

Rising sea levels destroy coastal habitats and alter salinity levels.

Habitat Destruction: Coastal development and bottom trawling (a fishing method) degrade marine environments.

Consequences: Loss of biodiversity, collapse of fisheries, and changes in global ocean currents.

Solutions:

Expanding marine protected areas (MPAs) to cover 30% of oceans by 2030.

Global initiatives like the "Global Plastic Action Partnership" aim to reduce plastic waste.

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Regional Ecological Challenges:

Pollution: Coastal tourism, waste discharge, and agricultural runoff lead to high levels of nitrogen and phosphates, creating "dead zones."

Overfishing: The Adriatic is heavily fished for species like sardines and anchovies, with declining stocks due to overharvesting.

Invasive Species: Warmer waters allow species like the blue crab to invade, disrupting ecosystems.

Initiatives in the Adriatic:

Croatia and Italy have designated several MPAs to protect biodiversity.

Projects to reduce plastic pollution and manage waste in coastal cities.

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Learn more about life in the sea and the challenges facing our oceans.

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MAP was established in 1975 as a multilateral environmental agreement in the context of the Regional Seas Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Mediterranean countries and the European Community approved MAP as the institutional framework for cooperation in addressing common challenges of marine environmental degradation.

Under the auspices of UNEP/MAP, a framework convention dedicated to the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution was adopted in 1976 and amended two decades later to encompass the key concepts adopted at the landmark 1992 Rio Conference and to include coasts in its scope. The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) was adopted in 1995.

UNEP/MAP and the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention - 21 Mediterranean countries and the European Union -- have progressively erected a uniquely comprehensive institutional, legal, and implementing framework integrating essential building blocks for sustainability in the Mediterranean.

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MAP was established in 1975 as a multilateral environmental agreement in the context of the Regional Seas Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Mediterranean countries and the European Community approved MAP as the institutional framework for cooperation in addressing common challenges of marine environmental degradation.

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Example: The comb jellyfish (Mnemiopsis leidyi) invaded the Black Sea in the 1980s via ballast water from ships. It consumed large amounts of plankton, collapsing the fishery industry by reducing food for native species. Local fisheries suffered economic losses exceeding $500 million.

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Example: The Caulerpa taxifolia (invasive algae) spread through ballast water. It covers large areas of the seafloor, choking native vegetation. This negatively impacts marine biodiversity, including fish dependent on native seaweed habitats. Tourism and fisheries in the Adriatic have also been harmed.

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The Ballast Water Management Convention (IMO) mandates treatment systems to kill organisms before water discharge.

Research on non-invasive methods like UV sterilization and chemical treatments continues to improve safety.

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Information on the environment for those involved in developing, adopting, implementing and evaluating environmental policy, and also the general public

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What Is El Niño?

El Niño is a climatic phenomenon marked by the warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. It disrupts global weather patterns every 2–7 years.

Part of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), it alternates with La Niña (cooling events).

Impacts of El Niño:

Weather Extremes:

Droughts in Southeast Asia and Australia.

Heavy rains and flooding in South America.

Economic Damage:

Losses in agriculture, fisheries, and infrastructure due to weather disruptions.

Environmental Effects:

Coral bleaching events due to warmer waters.

Disruption of marine food chains, impacting global fisheries.

Predictions for 2024/2025:

According to the World Meteorological Organization, there’s a 60% chance El Niño will develop between late 2024 and early 2025.

Potential effects:

Increased global temperatures, with record-breaking heat likely.

Severe droughts in Africa and Southeast Asia, threatening crop yields.

Heightened risk of wildfires in Australia.

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Promatranja el niña od 1997. do 1998. s umjetnog satelita TOPEX/Poseidon. Bijela područja pokazuju veliku količinu tople vode na dijelu i uragan je Tihog oceana zapadno od obala Čilea i Perua.

Prosječne godišnje temperature Tihog oceana u području tropa.

El Niño ( španj.: dječak, mali Isus) je prirodna meteorološka pojava povezana s promjenama klime u tropima. Prvotno je nazvan po toploj oceanskoj morskoj struji koja oplakuje obale Perua u božićno doba. Donosi vlažno i kišovito vrijeme, te poplave u inače suhim područjima Južne Amerike, te sušno razdoblje u području Indonezije. Novija su istraživanja pokazala da se ta pojava očituje u nepravilnim razmacima od 3 do 5 godina kao anomalije u temperaturi oceanske vode (za 2 do 8 °C toplije) i u strujanjima vjetrova na dijelu Tihog oceana zapadno od obala Čilea i Perua. Tijekom razdoblja el niña mijenja se režim strujanja i vjetrovi tada pušu od zapada prema istoku, toplije se vode gomilaju prema istočnim dijelovima Tihog oceana, podiže se razina oceana i smanjuje debljina sloja hranjivih tvari u njemu. Pokazalo se da el niño ima dalekosežan globalan utjecaj na vremenske okolnosti ne samo na Tihom oceanu već i u drugim dijelovima svijeta.

Posljedicom el niña smatraju se izvanredne jake ljetne oborine uzduž obala Ekvadora i sjevernog Perua, suše u južnom Peruu, sjeveroistočnom Brazilu, Australiji i u području Sahela, te neobične vremenske pojave uzduž obala Sjeverne Amerike, gdje je uočena povećana pojava tornada. U razdoblju od 1982. do 1983. ukupne štete u svijetu procijenjene su na 13,09 milijardi USD, bilo je 2 098 mrtvih, a gotovo 610 000 osoba ostalo je bez krova nad glavom. Iako su učinke te pojave dokumentirali već španjolski osvajači u 16. stoljeću, znanstvena su istraživanja provedena tek u drugoj polovici 20. stoljeća, a u posljednjem su desetljeću utvrđene promjene temperature oceanske vode s pomoću satelitskih mjerenja i oceanskih bova, pa se učinci el niña mogu prognozirati nekoliko mjeseci unaprijed. Pojava el niña usko je vezana i uz takozvano južno kolebanje el niña ( engl. ENSO - El Niño Southern Oscillation), što obuhvaća i anomalno hlađenje oceanskih voda i pojačanje istočnih pasatnih vjetrova, nazvano la niña, a cijeli ciklus toga kolebanja traje 3 do 6 godina. Za to vrijeme dijelovi Australije i Indonezije kišovitiji su nego što je normalno, a promjene u kišnom režimu i toplinskim prilikama utvrđene su i za mnoge dijelove SAD-a.

Sam naziv el nino u španjolskom jeziku znači mali dječak i odnosi se na malog Isusa, jer se njegovi učinci najviše osjećaju oko Božića. La niña znači mala djevojčica. Po dosadašnjim istraživanjima, el niño najvjerojatnije postoji od završetka posljednjeg ledenog doba.

Voda oko Indonezije je uobičajeno toplija nego kod Perua, a postoje i odgovarajauće razlike u tlaku zraka iznad tih prostora. Točnije, iznad južnoameričke obale tlak zraka je veći nego iznad Indonezije. Posljedično, vjetrovi koji pretežno pušu u ekvatorskom prostoru imaju relativno stalan smjer (od istoka prema zapadu). Kada dođe do obrtanja vjetrova, topla voda se premješta prema obali Perua što kao posljedicu ima kiše. S druge strane, za vrijeme jakih el niña, monsuni u Indiji izostaju usred preljeva hladne vode i zbog toga nastaju suše. El niñov utjecaj na klimu Europe je relativno mali.

Nasuprot el niñu, postoji i la niña, koja je, zapravo, jako normalno stanje. Za vrijeme la niñe, voda oko Indonezije je toplija nego uobičajeno što izaziva jače oluje i poplave dok u drugim dijelovima svijeta izaziva suše.

Posljednji el niño je trajao od rujna 2006. do ožujka/travnja 2007. El niño ima utjecaj na klimu gotovo svih dijelova svijeta. El niño s početka osamdesetih godina je prvi put skrenuo pažnju šire javnosti usred velikog broja poginulih. Naziv el niño je prvi put upotrebljen u znanstvenoj javnosti 1892., kada je kapetan Camilo Carilona na kongresu geografskog društva u Limi donio izvještaj da toplu struju ribari i moreplovci oko Perua zovu el nño. Za vrijeme gotovo cijelog 20. stoljeća se smatralo da je el niño lokalna pojava i do 1982/83. godine nije bilo znatnog interesa znanstvene zajednice. El niño se pojavljuje u periodima od dvije do sedam godina bar posljednjih tristo godina; većinom su u pitanju pojave slabije jakosti.

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El Niño ( španj.: dječak, mali Isus) je prirodna meteorološka pojava povezana s promjenama klime u tropima. Prvotno je nazvan po toploj oceanskoj morskoj struji koja oplakuje obale Perua u božićno doba. Donosi vlažno i kišovito vrijeme, te poplave u inače suhim područjima Južne Amerike, te sušno razdoblje u području Indonezije.

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Focus Areas:

Strengthening global commitments to limit warming to 1.5°C by 2050.

Financing mechanisms: Developed nations pledged an additional $300 billion for green energy projects in developing countries.

Tackling methane emissions: New agreements on reducing emissions from oil and gas sectors.

Key Achievements:

Launch of a “Climate Adaptation Fund” to support vulnerable countries affected by rising sea levels.

Agreements to accelerate renewable energy transitions in major economies like India and Brazil.

Stricter regulations on carbon trading to ensure transparency and fairness.

Goals for 2025:

Double the number of countries with net-zero policies.

Phase out coal-fired power plants in major economies.

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The global stocktake is a critical turning point when it comes to efforts to address climate change - it's a moment to take a long, hard look at the state of our planet and chart a better course for the future.