Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities

The document evaluates the GPA, a non-binding UNEP programme launched in 1995 to curb land-based marine pollution. While it has successfully set agendas, fostered multi-stakeholder partnerships, and helped 107 countries establish policy frameworks, it has struggled against increasing pollution levels, insufficient funding for developing nations, and a shift toward more specialized, legally binding global treaties.

• Land-based activities are the primary driver of marine pollution, accounting for 80% of all such pollution. Major sources include untreated sewage, agricultural run-off, industrial oils and heavy metals, and sediment from logging and earthworks.
• The Global Programme of Action (GPA), adopted in 1995, is a non-legally binding programme housed at UNEP that focuses on three main areas: sewage, nutrient management, and marine litter.
• The GPA's partnership approach has yielded mixed results; while multi-stakeholder collaborations can increase effectiveness, they can also be hindered by the self-interest of participants, particularly in the private sector regarding marine plastics.
• Despite the GPA's efforts, pollution from sewage, marine litter, and habitat destruction has worsened. Over 500 'dead zones' have been identified in the world's oceans due to increased nutrient and pollutant discharge.
• Developing countries face significant barriers to implementing pollution controls, including rapid urbanization, weak regulatory environments, and the high cost of infrastructure. Additionally, waste shipments from wealthier nations to poorer ones complicate accountability.
• The GPA's relevance has declined as global governance has shifted toward more specialized, legally binding instruments, such as the Stockholm Convention on POPs and the Minamata Convention on mercury.
• The GPA has achieved notable successes in agenda-setting, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (specifically target 14.1) and helping 107 countries implement relevant policy frameworks by 2018.

APA

Paul,, D. (2021). Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/protecting-marine-environment-land-based-activities

Chicago

Paul,, Delia. Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/protecting-marine-environment-land-based-activities.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Paul, |first1=Delia |title=Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=19 January 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/protecting-marine-environment-land-based-activities |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{paul2021protecting, author = {Paul,, Delia}, title = {{Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/protecting-marine-environment-land-based-activities}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }