Marine pollution has been a crisis in Jamaica for several years. It has caused a threat to the health of the marine environment and its species, the health of humans, the quality of our food and even impacts tourism. There are myriads of land-based* problems that result in marine pollution but the anthropogenic* factors of ‘improper garbage disposal’ and ‘dumping’ are at the center of Jamaica’s marine pollution crisis. Improper garbage disposal includes practices such as throwing garbage into gullies, nearby bushes, and other unsuitable areas. When citizens practice these methods of disposal, after it rains, the garbage is eventually washed into our marine environment. When the marine environment is polluted, one of the major long term environmental effects is loss of biodiversity.
The term ‘biodiversity’ describes the total variation of species that exist today. A polluted marine environment can reduce biodiversity in the long run. This is due to the fact that marine pollution introduces harmful chemicals in the ocean and when marine species constantly consume these chemicals, it often results their death overtime. Additionally, marine pollution is known for the displacement and fragmentation of several marine species, both of which can reduce biodiversity overtime. The importance of biodiversity lies in the fact that we need it for the food we eat and the air we breathe. In essence, it is through biodiversity that the ecosystem which provide these things, thrive. If biodiversity is at highest, then future generations are more likely to be sustained by the ecosystem. Thus, the loss of biodiversity is a serious concern for the sustainable development of the country and maritime industry as a whole.
The maritime industry often falls back in the race to achieve sustainable development goals due to heightening marine pollution. One of the major goals of the maritime industry in achieving sustainability, is to facilitate economic growth while preserving natural resources (SDG Business Hub, 2018). However, while the maritime domain has constantly grown economically, the preservation of natural resources while doing is uncertain. This is because when the maritime industry operates, it also contributes to marine pollution which in turn hinders the preservation of the ocean’s natural resources. Common acts by the maritime industry include oil spills and illegal dumping. Moreover, to reach sustainable development goals the maritime industry, other industries and the world should take action. .
One of Jamaica’s efforts in taking action is their National Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement*. The National Determined Contribution is essentially an action plan that outlines emission reduction targets and adaptation measures geared at lessening climate change (United Nations, 2022). Since the ratification of the Paris Agreement, Jamaica has developed its NDC action plan consisting of the targets in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change as a whole. However, while this action plan is suitable for targeting global warming and climate change, it does not particularly address marine pollution. Thus, the United Nations has recently signed a unified treaty to protect biodiversity at sea. This treaty will seek to protect the biodiversity of whales, dolphins, fish, sea turtles and other marine life especially on the high seas (The Gleaner, 2023). The agreement will see members states, including Jamaica, playing apart it protecting the marine environment from issues like marine pollution and overfishing. The main aim of the agreement is to acknowledge that the ocean is not an "unlimited resource" and should therefore be preserved for future generations. This treaty is will hopefully steer Jamaica and the maritime industry as a whole, towards achieving sustainable development.
In applying the notions of this treaty in our local communities, it is essential that Jamaica uses the systems thinking approach. The ideology surrounding the systems thinking is that in a ‘system’ there are different parts or components each of which are interconnected and dependent on each other to function as a whole (Peter Senge, 2016). In essence, the ‘achievement of strong sustainability’ is a system that comprises of interdependent components of economic, social and environmental factors. Similarly, marine pollution issues can be addressed with the systems thinking approach. One systems thinking technique to address marine pollution is implementing environmental campaigns within communities. This technique will see the social and environmental forces working in tandem. This campaign can include beach clean ups, public awareness and recycling practices. More initiatives like these could bring the country closer to addressing its sustainable development issues and ultimately achieve strong sustainability.
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*Land-based problems issues originating on land like: insufficient drainage systems, improper waste disposal (both domestic and industrial), and even limited enforcement by authorities.
*Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change
*Anthropogenic factors are those that involve human activities.
References
Peter Senge. (2016, February 16). How systems thinking is helping US create a more Sustainable World. Invisible Nature. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.invisiblenature.ro/systems-thinking/systems-thinking-helping-us-create-sustainable-world/
SDG Business Hub. (2018, November 6). Sustainable development goals: Exploring maritime opportunities. SDG Business Hub. Retrieved April 16, 2023, from https://sdghub.com/project/sustainable-development-goals-exploring-maritime-opportunities/
The Gleaner. (2023, March 6). Accord signed to protect Marine Life on high seas. World News | Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/world-news/20230306/accord-signed-protect-marine-life-high-seas
United Nations . (2022). All about the ndcs. United Nations. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/all-about-ndcs