Europe steps up fight against marine pollution with limit on seabed litter – Euractiv

Report on European Union Measures to Combat Seabed Litter in Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

New Thresholds to Advance SDG 14: Life Below Water

European Union member states have established a new maximum permissible level for seabed litter within EU territorial waters. This measure is a significant step towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14, specifically Target 14.1, which aims to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds by 2025. The agreement sets clear, measurable targets for marine debris on the seafloor.

• Visual Monitoring Limit: A maximum of one litter item per 1,000 square meters is permitted in areas monitored visually. This encourages the use of new, less invasive monitoring technologies, protecting marine ecosystems from damage caused by methods like trawling.
• Trawl Survey Limit: In areas monitored with trawl surveys, there must be no increase in the quantity of litter over time.

Implementation Framework and Contribution to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The agreement, reached at a technical level, now requires implementation by EU coastal states. This collaborative action embodies the principles of SDG 17 by fostering regional partnerships to achieve environmental goals.

1. National Strategies: Member states are mandated to outline concrete preventive measures within their national strategies.
2. Legal Framework: These actions fall under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, a key piece of EU legislation for protecting the marine environment. The directive is scheduled for revision to improve data management and reporting efficiency.

Addressing the Multifaceted Impact of Marine Pollution on Global Goals

Marine litter poses a direct threat to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals beyond SDG 14. The presence of waste, particularly plastics, in marine environments undermines progress in key areas of global development.

• SDG 14 (Life Below Water): Litter directly threatens marine life and habitats.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Marine pollution poses risks to human health.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Economic activities vital to coastal communities, such as tourism, fisheries, and aquaculture, are endangered by pollution.

Progress and Challenges in Aligning with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The EU has previously implemented measures targeting marine pollution, reflecting a commitment to SDG 12 by addressing unsustainable production and consumption patterns. While progress has been noted, significant challenges remain.

• Existing Targets: The EU has a pre-existing limit of no more than 20 litter items per 100 meters of coastline.
• Legislative Action: A directive banning certain single-use plastic items was enacted to target the most common forms of beach litter.
• Measured Progress: A recent report indicated a 29% decrease in litter items smaller than 2.5cm between 2015-16 and 2020-21.
• Persistent Challenge: Despite these efforts, the EU is far from its beach litter target, with the 2020-21 average recorded at 203 items per 100 meters—more than 10 times the established limit.

Future Outlook: Prioritizing Upstream Action for Sustainable Impact

Conservation experts emphasize that prevention is the most effective strategy to combat marine pollution. Achieving long-term success for SDG 14 is contingent on robust upstream actions that align with the principles of SDG 12. Real progress requires addressing the root causes of waste generation through systemic changes in production, marketing, and disposal practices to safeguard marine habitats, especially those in the deep sea.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article on Marine Pollution

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • The entire article focuses on combating marine pollution, which is the central theme of SDG 14. It discusses setting limits for seabed and coastline litter to protect marine life and ecosystems. The agreement on a “maximum level of seabed litter” is a direct action towards preserving life below water.

2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • The article connects marine litter to its source by mentioning the EU’s “groundbreaking directive banning certain single-use plastic items” and quoting an expert who emphasizes that “real progress depends on upstream action – production, marketing, and improper disposing.” This directly addresses the need for sustainable production and consumption patterns to reduce waste generation.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • The article explicitly states that marine litter “endangers economic activities such as tourism, fisheries, and aquaculture.” This connects the environmental issue of pollution to its negative impact on sustainable economic growth and industries that depend on a healthy marine environment.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution. The article’s main subject—setting new limits on seabed litter and referencing existing limits for coastline litter—is a direct implementation of this target to reduce marine debris.
   • Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts. The measures described, such as setting pollution caps and monitoring the seafloor, are actions taken to protect marine ecosystems from the adverse impacts of litter.

2. Under SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. The article’s reference to the ban on single-use plastics and the call for “upstream action” on production and disposal directly align with this target’s goal of waste prevention and reduction at the source.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for Target 14.1

   • Density of seabed litter: The article specifies a new, measurable limit: “No more than one item per 1,000 square meters will be permitted in areas under visual monitoring.” This serves as a direct indicator.
   • Trend of seabed litter over time: A second indicator is mentioned for areas monitored differently: “no increase in litter over time in the areas of the European seafloor monitored with trawl surveys.”
   • Density of coastline litter: The article refers to an existing indicator and its target value: “a limit of no more than 20 litter items per 100 meters of coastline.” It also provides a baseline measurement, stating the current average is “203 items per 100 meters of coastline.”

2. Indicator for Target 12.5

   • Reduction in specific types of waste: The article implies an indicator for the effectiveness of waste reduction policies by citing a report that showed “the number of pieces smaller than 2.5cm dropping by 29% in 2020-21, compared to 2015-16” following the ban on certain single-use plastics.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: euractiv.com