Mankind and the oceans

United Nations928081057X, 9789280810578, 9781423766032

The oceans cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and play an important part in our lives by controlling climate and weather conditions; hosting shipping, transportation, recreation and tourism; and providing us with food, minerals and petroleum. With the growth of the human population, especially in coastal zones, there is a growing threat to oceans from land-based activities such as industrial effluent, municipal sewage, and runoff from agricultural areas, as well the excessive exploitation of fish stocks. This book contains important and fascinating evidence of the role of the oceans in mankind’s survival in the twenty-first century. It focuses on regional and national case studies and emphasizes approaches that can help remedy our impact.

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Table of contents :
Contents……Page 7
List of tables and figures……Page 9
Preface……Page 13
1 Overview of the global marine and coastal challenges……Page 17
Part 1 Human activities related to marine life and management……Page 23
2 Mankind belongs to the sea……Page 25
3 Environmental management of enclosed coastal seas……Page 41
4 International marine science activities in Japan……Page 52
5 The UNU’s international marine environment research networks: An approach towards sustainable seas in the twenty-first century……Page 62
Part 2 Case studies of marine pollution in the world……Page 73
6 Environmental problems in the coastal waters of China……Page 75
7 Marine pollution monitoring of butyltins and organochlorines in the coastal waters of Thailand, the Philippines, and India……Page 84
8 Organochlorine contamination in Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica) from Lake Baikal, Russia……Page 108
9 Marine mammals and environmental contaminants in the Pacific Ocean: Current knowledge and frontiers for research……Page 127
10 Persistent organic pollutants and outbreaks of disease in marine mammals……Page 153
Part 3 Marine biodiversity and environment in the Black Sea and the south-western Atlantic Ocean……Page 169
11 Biodiversity in the Black Sea: Threats and the future……Page 171
12 Marine biodiversity of the south-western Atlantic Ocean and main environmental problems of the region……Page 188
D……Page 221
P……Page 222
T……Page 223
Acronyms……Page 224
Contributors……Page 227
B……Page 230
C……Page 232
F……Page 233
I……Page 234
K……Page 235
M……Page 236
O……Page 237
R……Page 238
S……Page 239
T……Page 240
Z……Page 241