The existence of first life (single-celled organisms) has been found in the sea 3.8 billion years ago but first life (plants) on land was found only 475 million years ago. So, life in our seas has had much more time to evolve and develop than life on land. It is estimated that about 80% of all life on our planet is found in oceans.
Many scientists throughout the world are busy at work with a diversity of important issues such as climate change, development of new drugs, invention of new technology to explore the sea, marine pollutions, declining fisheries, eroding coastlines, etc. To address these issues, we need more and more skilled and educated manpower on ocean-related subjects which will allow us in Bangladesh to explore and exploit our vast sea area -- 118,831 sq km -- in the Bay of Bengal.
According to Wikipedia, “oceanography, also known as oceanology, is the branch of geography that studies the ocean.” Like other branches of science, oceanography also has specifications and specializations within it.
Biological oceanography deals with the organisms which live in the ocean and study their behavioral patterns, their food habits and their breeding. Oceans are very rich in minerals and nutrients and Chemical oceanographers identify those beneficial ocean resources. Geological oceanography studies the structure of the ocean floor, exploring the ocean bed and taking cognizance of what changes in the physical structure formed the valleys, the mountains, and the canyons.
The study of physical conditions and physical processes within the ocean is physical oceanography, examining deep currents, the ocean-atmosphere relationship that influences weather and climate, the transmission of light and sound through water, and the ocean's interactions with its boundaries at the seafloor and the coast. Thus, scientists of different fields such as biology, chemistry, geology, and physics have to work together to expand knowledge of the world oceans and the processes within it.
To develop skilled manpower in the field of maritime higher studies and research, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh, the first Maritime University of the country, was established in 2013. The government of Bangladesh has allocated 106.68 acres of land at Hamidchar in the district of Chattagram for the permanent campus of the university; it is expected that within a few years the university will move to its permanent campus and gradually develop this university as the highest seat of learning for students who aspire to explore the maritime world. All public and private marine related institutes in Bangladesh will be affiliated with BSMRMU in near future. The process has already been started.
Marine pollution
Our oceans are being degraded by human activities that harm marine life, undermine coastal communities, and negatively affect human health. The types of marine pollution can be grouped as ocean acidification, toxins, nutrient pollution, pollution from marine debris, plastic including micro plastic pollution, and underwater noise.
It is estimated that about 80% of pollution to the marine environment comes from the land. One of the biggest sources is called nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff. Runoff includes many small sources, like septic tanks, cars, trucks, and boats, plus larger sources, such as farms, ranches, and forest areas.
Millions of motor vehicle engines drop small amounts of oil each day onto roads and parking lots. Much of this, too, makes its way to the sea. Some water pollution actually starts as air pollution, which settles into waterways and oceans. Top soil or silt from fields or construction sites can run off into waterways, harming fish and wildlife habitats. Nonpoint source pollution can make river and ocean water unsafe for humans and wildlife. In some areas, this pollution is so bad that it causes beaches to be closed after rainstorms.
Another culprit is plastic pollution; till the 1970s, only a small amount of plastic was produced, and as a result, plastic waste was relatively manageable. Since the 1970s, the rate of plastic production has grown faster than that of any other material. If the current growth rate continues, global production of primary plastic is forecasted to reach 1.1 billion tons by 2050. It is reported that 1,000 rivers are accountable for nearly 80% of global annual riverine plastic emissions into the ocean, which range between 0.8 and 2.7 million tons per year.
It is nearly impossible for nature to completely break down plastic. Most plastic items never fully disappear; they just break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Those micro plastics can enter the human body through inhalation and absorption and accumulate in organs. The full extent of the impact of this on human health is still unknown. In countries with poor solid waste management systems, plastic waste, especially single-use plastic bags, can be found clogging sewers and providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes and pests, and as a result, increasing the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as malaria.
UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021-2030)
One of the many activities of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) is COP27. Key conclusions of the first Ocean Climate Dialogue held in June 2022 included strong recognition of the fact that a whole of society approach is needed for ocean-climate action and governance, and that available science and knowledge need to be used and improved to achieve action.
There are different sessions in the 2022 UN climate change conference in which a detailed presentation will be given to discuss the importance of the science-policy-society interface to translate ocean science to effective climate action. It will explore key gaps and challenges and provide examples of innovative solutions that are underway via the Ocean Decade.
Specific themes to be addressed through the Ocean Decade events include: (i) climate action in Africa, (ii) resilience including the role of nature-based-solutions, (iii) financing for ocean science for climate action, and (iv) communicating ocean science for climate action. All events will align with the priorities of COP27 related to adaptation, mitigation, financing, and collaboration and the key messages of the Ocean Climate Dialogue held in June 2022.
Events will showcase existing work at the global, regional and national levels, and engage representatives of key Decade structures including the Ocean Decade Alliance and Decade Advisory Board. The Ocean Decade is a partner of the two groundbreaking initiatives at COP, the Ocean Pavilion and the Ocean x Climate Summit.
BSMRMU is organizing an International Seminar, “UN Decade of Ocean Science - Imperatives for Bangladesh,” to be held on November 17, 2022 at Krishibid Institution in Dhaka. In this one day seminar, there will be two plenary sessions, one parallel technical. The keynote presentation of the seminar, “Ocean Science - Gateway to Sustainable Development” will be delivered in the inaugural session. In the plenary sessions, eight plenary lectures will be delivered and in the technical session, (three parallel sessions) 15 invited lectures will be presented. Senior faculties, scientists (from home and abroad) who are experts in various fields of marine science will be present to participate.
Professor Dr Altaf Hussain is Academic Adviser, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh.