Here are some ways to arrest cigarette butt pollution

Initiatives like product redesign, extended producer responsibility, fines, penalties and promoting non-profits for awareness programmes and …

Plastic endgame: Did UNEA 5.2 start a new era

The world’s adoption of the resolution to end plastic pollution by 2024 is only the first step in a long battle

Marine protection falls short of the 2020 target to safeguard 10% of the world’s oceans. A UN treaty and lessons from Antarctica could help

Stronger Antarctic leadership is urgently needed to safeguard the Southern Ocean and beyond

Atlantic Ocean contains 10 times more microplastics than previously thought: Study

The ocean contains 12-21 million tonnes of microplastics; figure only for three of the most common types of plastic litter

Concerted actions vital to accelerate shift towards ‘plastic-free’ living

Crux of this problem lies in a lack of public awareness regarding the detrimental impact of plastic waste and a corresponding deficiency in …

Maldives beaches have the most microplastics: Study

Microplastic concentration was found to be high in waters around Naifaru, the most populous island of Maldives

Cruise tourism in India: Sailing into troubled waters

The shipping industry contributes around 3.01 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions annually; a single ship emits particulate matter equivalent to …

Global Kelp forests declining at 1.8% annually; indigenous knowledge can help, say experts

Kelps are increasingly threatened by climate change, eutrophication and shoreline development, among other human-induced stressors

Climate-smart marine protected areas can shield biota from global warming: Experts

Most current MPAs are located in coastal areas, while only 1.2 per cent of the high seas are protected

Why we must conserve the world’s seagrasses

Protection and restoration of seagrasses can play a significant role in mitigating climate change

Seabed mining could sink the fishing industry

If unchecked, deep sea mining could impact fish stocks and Pacific Island communities along with it.

Plastic pollution in aquatic systems may triple by 2040: UNEP

Around 23-37 million tonnes of waste could end up in the ocean a year by 2040, up from 9-14 million tonnes a year in 2016 

Seychelles is becoming overwhelmed by marine plastic — We now know where it comes from

Plastic debris is strewn across Aldabra’s coastlines, threatening nearby marine ecosystems

Plastic waste woes: A primer on India’s marine litter problem

Only 60 per cent of the total collected plastic waste is recycled, while the fate of the remaining 40 per cent is not accounted

The 5 biggest threats to West Africa’s oceans — and what to do about them

Ocean produces over half of world’s oxygen, absorbs 50 times more carbon dioxide than atmosphere

‘Marine Protected Areas must be evaluated for effectiveness’

At present, focus is only on coverage; quality and effectiveness not assessed, point out experts

Marine pollution, coastal development: Coral reefs need to be saved

Coral reefs face mounting threats: 10% of them have degraded across the globe, another 30% may disappear within next 20 years 

Microplastics, microbeads: What you did not know about self-care products

Bureau of Indian Standards in 2017 proposed a ban on raw materials not recognised safe for use in cosmetics from 2020. The status of the ban is&…

Towards sustainable marine fisheries value chain: Reflections amid COVID-19 crisis

A behavioural nudge to promote sustainable fisheries, community mobilisation can go a long way for the sector in post-COVID-19 era and beyond

‘OECMs are a win-win for conservation and community’

Down To Earth talks to conservationist Vinod Mathur to learn more about India’s roadmap to conserve its marine regions