Manado/Nairobi, 13 May
2009 – From paying fishermen to 'fish for
litter' to laws banning food vendors from
using plastic cups and plates in coastal
parks, governments and local authorities
around the world are increasingly turning
to market-based instruments to cut litter
and waste entering the sea.
These are among the
findings from a new UN Environment Programme
(UNEP)-commissioned report presented today
at the World Oceans Conference in Indonesia,
where over 120 nations are gathering to
boost the health of the global marine environment.
In the US, for example,
food vendors in national public parks are
required to use biodegradable plates, cups,
and other disposable food containers and
discouraged from distributing straws with
drinks unless specifically requested by
the customer.
In Hawaii, US, an initiative
that gives fishermen cash awards by the
weight of abandoned gear they report resulted
in nearly 75 tonnes of debris removed over
a two-year period.
A levy of US$ 0.02 (€0.15)
per plastic bag in Ireland generated nearly
US$ 13 million (€9 million) and led to a
90 per cent reduction in consumption of
disposable plastic bags. The money generated
was channelled into environmental initiatives
in the country.
These types of incentives
create opportunities for policy makers to
exercise their political will, given that
they are able to generate the necessary
funds to implement an environmental plan.
A private-public partnership
in Honolulu saw the collection of nearly
26 tonnes of net and monofilament line,
which were processed and converted into
electric power.
In South Korea, cost
sharing between cities and payment to fishermen
were used to tackle marine litter.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary
General and UNEP Executive Director, said:
"Smart market mechanisms, from feed-in
tariffs to stimulate renewable energies
to paying communities for ecosystem services
can transform the economics of sustainability."
"Today we present
evidence that the same approach can be brought
to bear in the area of marine litter underlining
yet another area where a Green Economy can
be glimpsed and one day soon realized,"
he added.
Marine debris damages
marine industries, but is also an economic
cost to society and the environment. Globally,
as much as 80 per cent of marine debris
entering the ocean each year is thought
to come from land-based sources, with the
remainder coming from shipping and other
maritime sources.
The report made a number
of recommendations to address the problem.
These include measures to:
Invest in the waste
management infrastructure – from the smallest
items (waste cans conveniently located by
beaches and piers) to state-of-the-art landfills
and environmental-friendly materials that
will not persist in the environment and
substitution of materials to increase degradability.
Encourage strategies
that will prevent or reduce the amount of
litter entering inland waterways from towns,
streets, parking areas, etc. This can be
done in conjunction with an educational
campaign that helps people understand how
all watersheds are connected, and how their
piece of litter can impact natural resources,
marine habitats, navigation, health and
safety.
Create opportunities
for all stakeholders (public and private
sectors) to communicate, exchange information,
share technological expertise, the latest
marine litter research, guidelines, and
successes.
Build a stronger sense
of environmental stewardship among ocean
users as well as people who live inland
through education and community outreach.
This ethic is critical given the global
nature of marine litter, its inability to
be confined within territorial boundaries
and the complexity of identifying sources.
Enhance and encourage
collaboration among NGOs, industry, governments,
citizens, academia, fisheries management
organizations, local communities and municipalities.
A variety of partners bring different skills
and resources to the table, leading to a
stronger foundation for success.
Support and promote
voluntary efforts to remove litter from
the marine environment (e.g., beach and
river clean-up events)
Deposits-refund
systems, user and administrative charge,
and sales taxes and cost sharing are among
market-based instruments cited as most suitable
in controlling marine debris.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Nuttall, UNEP
