Description
Back in 1995 over 108 governments laid down “their commitment to protect and preserve the marine environment from the impacts of land-based activities … Setting as their common goal sustained and effective action to deal with all land-based impacts upon the marine environment, specifically those resulting from sewage, persistent organic pollutants, radioactive substances, heavy metals, oils (hydrocarbons), nutrients, sediment mobilization, litter, and physical alteration and destruction of habitat.” The commitment was made under the auspices of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA).
The GPA encourages governments and regional organisations to prepare and implement comprehensive, continuing and adaptive action plans to protect the marine environment, recognising the effects on food security, poverty alleviation, and ecosystem health, as well as the resulting economic and social benefits. In parallel, some of the eighteen Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans (RSCAPs) have negotiated legally-binding protocols on land-based activities and sources of marine pollution.
Source:
http://www.unep.org/ecosystemmanagement/Portals/7/Documents/factsheets/GPA%20FactSheet%20web.pdf