Emden, Bremen, Hamburg, and Liibeck. Up to 500,000 DM can be used immediately
for the prevention and control of oil-spills, in case of higher expenses the contracting
parties have to agree (Boe 1975).
There are at least 36 international and regional agreements which include questions
of marine pollution: of these 2 deal with the dumping of garbage originating from
ships, 10 with problems of contamination caused by oil, and 12 with the ocean's
exposure to radioactivity. The consequences of the exploitation of offshore natural
resources have not been regulated by international agreements so far.
Regulations concerning marine pollution from land are inadequate, at least on the
supranational level. They are difficult to enforce because important national economic
interests are concerned (Waldichuk 1978). Absolutely no regulations, apart from for
incineration at sea and for regional Baltic problems, exist concerning harmful substances which enter the world oceans from the atmosphere, in spite of the fact that
world-wide pollution of the oceans with chlorinated hydrocarbons has its source in
atmospheric contamination. But if one wants to reduce the concentrations of pollutants in the marine atmosphere, one has to regulate the fabrication and the use of
such harmful substances inland. Effects upon industry, agriculture, and health standards would be manifold, and the argument from marine biology is just one among
many conflicting arguments. However, the health of the biosphere, of all life on the
globe, is well-reflected in the oceans and in marine life. Therefore, marine science has
an important task at least to monitor trends in the future, and to give warnings if
pollution should increase or should not decrease with time.
190
for the prevention and control of oil-spills, in case of higher expenses the contracting
parties have to agree (Boe 1975).
There are at least 36 international and regional agreements which include questions
of marine pollution: of these 2 deal with the dumping of garbage originating from
ships, 10 with problems of contamination caused by oil, and 12 with the ocean's
exposure to radioactivity. The consequences of the exploitation of offshore natural
resources have not been regulated by international agreements so far.
Regulations concerning marine pollution from land are inadequate, at least on the
supranational level. They are difficult to enforce because important national economic
interests are concerned (Waldichuk 1978). Absolutely no regulations, apart from for
incineration at sea and for regional Baltic problems, exist concerning harmful substances which enter the world oceans from the atmosphere, in spite of the fact that
world-wide pollution of the oceans with chlorinated hydrocarbons has its source in
atmospheric contamination. But if one wants to reduce the concentrations of pollutants in the marine atmosphere, one has to regulate the fabrication and the use of
such harmful substances inland. Effects upon industry, agriculture, and health standards would be manifold, and the argument from marine biology is just one among
many conflicting arguments. However, the health of the biosphere, of all life on the
globe, is well-reflected in the oceans and in marine life. Therefore, marine science has
an important task at least to monitor trends in the future, and to give warnings if
pollution should increase or should not decrease with time.
190