Approaches to addressing the problems of pollution of the marine environment: an overview

A review is presented of major international actions taken to address the pollution of the marine environment, from various sources. The actions are put into the context of the third United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development 1992, and are related to major issues facing society with respect to the marine environment. These concern governance, institutions, implementation of international agreements, capacity building, as well as impacts on the ocean and needs for research and observations. The need for political will to act is also emphasized.