Latest news with #oceanPollution
Arab News
14 hours ago
- General
- Arab News
Pakistan Navy urges ‘result-oriented' collective actions as world marks Oceans Day
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy on Sunday urged 'result-oriented' collective actions to safeguard oceans against pollution, over-fishing and climate change, its Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) said, on the occasion of the World Oceans Day. World Oceans Day is observed on June 8 each year and this year's theme is 'Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,' which resonates with the oceans' vital role in underpinning all life on earth. Covering over 70 percent of Earth, oceans are a key source of oxygen, a regulator of climate and immeasurably support biodiversity, all of which are essential to global livelihoods. As the principal custodian of Pakistan's maritime domain, the navy said, it is undertaking substantive initiatives like implementing remedial measures for preventing oil spills at sea, enforcing pollution control measures and banning destructive fishing nets to encourage healthy practices and sustainable use of ocean resources. 'World Oceans Day calls upon us to move beyond the reflexive acknowledgment and take result-oriented collective actions,' the navy quoted its Public Relations director-general as saying. 'To this end, I call upon all the stakeholders to join hands with Pakistan Navy and adopt safe and sustainable practices to secure our oceans' vitality. Collectively, we can avail this immense endowment in the shape of our rich oceans, preserve their enduring majesty and secure the lifeblood they provide, for our future generations.' The statement came ahead of a United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference in Nice, France on June 9-13, which will not only focus on accelerating actions for conservation and sustainable use of oceans but also identify ways to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources by building partnerships. 'For Pakistan, our long coastline and rich marine resources constitute a national trust. This vital treasure trove of biodiversity is facing rapid deterioration and demands immediate and robust intervention by all stakeholders,' the navy said. 'Recognizing our obligation to the environment, Pakistan Navy is also instilling ecological ethos through awareness drives and crucial partnerships. To mark the occasion, National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) has organized one day international seminar to create awareness about the issue and highlight ways and means to protect our oceans.'
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Japan Times
Scientists in Japan develop plastic that quickly dissolves in seawater
Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the Riken Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialization, project leader Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day marked on Thursday. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the U.N. Environment Program has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tons of waste into the world's oceans each year. "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with best possible environment," Aida said. Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about 5 centimeters in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours, he added. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide, he added.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Japan scientists develop plastic that dissolves in seawater as ocean pollution solution
Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the Riken Centre for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred for about an hour. A researcher shows a sample of ocean-degradable plastic being immersed in saltwater at the Riken Centre for Emergent Matter Science. Photo: Reuters While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research had attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day, which takes place on Thursday this year. 01:59 Trump signs order on plastic drinking straws, says paper ones 'explode' Trump signs order on plastic drinking straws, says paper ones 'explode' Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23 million to 37 million tonnes of waste into the world's oceans each year.
