Forum mulls dirty ocean issues
>> Thailand is ranked sixth worst for ocean pollution globally, an environmental forum was told on Friday.
Environmentalists and officials from Asia and Europe, including the United Nations, attended the 2018 Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) on Sustainable Marine Environment: Marine Debris.
The meeting aimed to tackle problems arising from ocean debris endangering marine species and polluting ocean waters.
A study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed approximately eight million metric tonnes of plastic debris are discharged globally every year.
Of that, Thailand accounts for over one million tonnes (or around 13%), and is ranked as the sixth highest polluter in ocean waters.
“It is estimated that an average person in Bangkok uses around eight plastic bags a day. This translates to around 500 million bags per week which is an alarming number,” says Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, deputy secretary-general of the Asean for Asean Socio-Cultural Community.
“Southeast Asia has some of the longest coastlines and richest ocean resources, and the waters from part of the world’s centre for marine biodiversity otherwise known as Coral Triangle,” he said.
“The region hosts a third of the world’s coastal and marine habitats that supports 75% of global coral species, six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, and 51 of the 70 mangrove species worldwide,’’ Mr Vongthep said.
According to a conservation study, the annual value of ecosystem resources that these habitats provide comes to US$112.5 billion, while mangroves account for $5.1 billion.
Thailand is not the only country with a poor record on ocean pollution; the IUCN case-study revealed that up to six Asean member countries are listed among the 20 worst polluters.
Deputy Regional Director of UN Environment, Isabelle Louis, said reducing the amount of plastic debris in the Asean region must focus on policy support, capacity building, research and innovation, private sector engagement, and public outreach.
The Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations last year reported the government was placing tackling marine pollution and marine debris high on the national agenda.
Although pilot projects on plastic bag reduction measures have been implemented, the rate of single-use plastic bag consumption is still high.
“Polluting ocean waters can be hazardous as plastic waste can circulate in the food chain. The micro-plastics absorbed by marine animals, which humans consume, can pose a threat to public health, and also the species themselves,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Virasakdi Futrakul.
Earlier, the government attempted to launch a campaign persuading Thais to use fewer plastic bags but faced a backlash at Klong Toey Market, one of Bangkok’s busiest markets, where traders and shoppers alike said they weren’t keen on having to change their ways.
The public find single-use plastic bags as convenient, so are reluctant to change, observers say.