Kenya is among 10 countries that have adopted 15 decisions aimed at tackling ocean pollution, protecting marine life and improving the management of the western Indian Ocean.
The decisions followed a four-day meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which marked 40 years of the Nairobi Convention, a regional agreement that brings countries together to protect the ocean and shared coastal areas.
The other countries involved are Comoros, France, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa and Tanzania.
Plastic pollution was among the key issues discussed, with the countries backing a regional strategy to tackle the problem. They also adopted a plan to prepare for major marine pollution incidents linked to land-based activities.
An undated photo of a person exploring the deep sea.
Photo
Canva
For decades, the ocean has served as a major shipping route for oil tankers and other vessels, while growing coastal cities have discharged sewage and industrial waste into harbours and waterways.
The Nairobi Convention was established in 1985 under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which gave way for countries to work together to solve environmental problems.
Additionally, this decision comes at a time when mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs need to be protected to help support marine life and communities that depend on the livelihood of the ocean.
The challenge of how countries can improve the way they manage ocean resources was also discussed; this included how marine life was monitored, information was shared, and scientific research was used to guide decisions about activities taking place in the ocean.
A 2013 survey showed that plastic waste has become one of the region’s major environmental concerns. Seychelles collected 4,743 pieces, indicating that even remote islands are affected by marine litter.
At COP12, the countries also talked about addressing acidification, which is the slow drop in the ocean’s pH as seawater absorbs carbon dioxide, and this is harming marine organisms, including corals and shell-forming species.
The discussions also included the coordination around the High Seas Treaty, an international agreement intended to strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Moreover, the United States and Kenya recently made an agreement to strengthen military cooperation on maritime security, counterterrorism, and regional stability as ef part of efforts to protect the marine livelihood.
An image of a blue oceanic surface in the Atlantic ocean.
Oceanographic Institution