The Marine Environment

The marine environment is an essential component of the global life-support system. From deep oceans to coastal reefs, from mudflats to seagrass beds, oceans and marine systems provide us with essential services: carbon capture for climate mitigation and renewable energy and protection from storm surges, to name but a few. This chapter discusses the nature and extent of pollution in the marine environment, touching on the history of marine pollution, the types of pollutants, the pathways of marine pollution as well as the nature, impact and effects of pollution on the marine environment. The focus is on the marine environment generally.