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The increasing pollution caused by plastic waste and pollutants puts a considerable strain on the seas and oceans. Munition waste, too many nutrients, and increasing underwater noise add to this.
The increasing pollution caused by plastic waste and harmful substances is putting a considerable strain on the oceans. Added to this are munitions waste, too many nutrients and increasing underwater noise.
Since the end of World War II, significant amounts of ammunition and chemical warfare agents have been dumped in the ocean.
Things are getting louder underwater: construction noise, engine noise and explosions can harm marine life and disrupt their communication or even make it impossible.
The consequences of marine pollution with contaminants are diverse and depend on the characteristics of the environmental toxins.
If nutrients are present in sufficient quantities, marine life follows its usual course. However, when they are excessively introduced large blooms of algae can occur.
The ocean's pollution issue is growing exponentially. An increasing production and disposal of plastics contribute to the problem.
Munitions in the seas and oceans threaten the marine environment and risk their sustainable use and management. For several years, research has been conducted to evaluate the scale of the impacts and to develop solutions for their future remediation.
Vom "Material der 1.000 Anwendungen" zum Abfallprodukt, die Geschichte des Plastiks ist eine Reise durch Innovation, Wandel und wachsenden Herausforderungen.
The Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV) provides information on the immediate action programme for the clearance and disposal of munitions in German marine waters. A pilot project is testing available technologies.
The CONMAR project, part of the DAM research mission sustainMare, investigates munitions in German marine waters and provides solution-oriented knowledge for action.
The “Litterbase” database of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) compiles extensive scientific knowledge on marine litter and offers maps and infographics.
An information platform for all relevant stakeholders on the coordination and implementation of national measures against marine litter. Around 130 experts support the work of the round table, established in 2016.
Based on scientific findings, the Coastal Pollution Toolbox (CPT) provides information on the sources, impacts, and mitigation options for marine pollution.
Small and large quantities of paraffin waxes are repeatedly washed up on German coasts. In this fact sheet, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) provides information about the waxy lumps that can also be found on the seashore.
In this video, the Museum für Naturkunde (MfN) and the Deutsches Meeresmuseum (DMM) provide information about noise in the sea. What sources of noise are there in the sea? Why is man-made noise so threatening to animals? What solutions are there?
This nearly ten-minute podcast for children brings the soundscapes of the ocean to life. Listen to the rumble of underwater volcanic eruptions, the songs of whales, and the noise caused by humans.
This seven-minute podcast explores the underwater soundscape – from the noises made by marine life to the sounds caused by human activity above and below the water.
In this thematic focus, the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) provides a clear overview of current knowledge on plastic waste and microplastics. For those who want to learn more, contact details for the experts are available.
The World Ocean Review “The Ocean, Guarantor of Life” describes in this chapter the global extent of pollution in seas and oceans, including thousands of chemicals, nutrients, plastics, toxic heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals.
In 2023, a new assessment report under the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) was published. the result: the ecological status of the Baltic Sea is poor in almost all areas.
The German Environment Agency (UBA) summarises what it means when excessive nutrients enter the seas (eutrophication) and which regulations are in place to protect the marine environment.
Seagrasses are sensitive to rising nutrient concentrations. The development of seagrass populations in the Wadden Sea is described on the Wadden Sea National Park website.
This lecture provides insights into the various sources of noise in the ocean. How does noise affect fish and plankton? How are marine conservation and noise protection interconnected?
In its position paper, the German Association for Marine Technology (GMT) outlines the value creation perspectives of munitions in the sea for the German marine technology industry.
The ammunition cadastre AmuCad (“Ammunition Cadastre Sea”) provides comprehensive information on munitions contamination in the ocean and a digital map showing areas of greatest pollution.
The five-minute explainer film by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) illustrates the impacts of legacy munitions on the marine ecosystem and presents protective measures.
School classes and extracurricular youth groups can explore pollution along rivers and coasts as Plastic Pirates.
The Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) from Germany invites people to act as “Waterway Rescuers” and proactively free nature and the environment from carelessly discarded waste.
The waste kit developed by the ICBM includes informational and task materials, a collection of experiments, and additional suggestions on the topic of plastic waste in the ocean.
Lesson plans, teaching materials, and background information on the topic of plastic waste in the ocean for different school levels.
Teaching materials (information, work and answer sheets) on the topic of plastic waste in the ocean for different school levels.
The WWF guide provides primary and secondary school teachers with valuable materials and ideas on the topic of plastic waste in the ocean.
Myth, misconception, or truth? The Plastic Mythbusters quiz, developed as part of the Coastal Pollution Toolbox, reveals the true facts about marine pollution caused by plastic waste.
A customisable modular learning toolkit on plastic in the environment for various educational levels.
What is microplastic, how does it end up in the sea, and what are the consequences of pollution for the marine environment? The digital information platform of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon provides answers to these and other questions.
Alle sechs Jahre bewerten Fachleute den Umweltzustand der deutschen Meeresgebiete. Der umfassende Bericht für 2024 zeigt, dass es der deutschen Nord- und Ostsee nicht gut geht.
Die Meere und Ozeane verlieren Sauerstoff – und damit einen der wichtigsten Bausteine des Lebens. Die Hauptursachen: Erwärmung und Überdüngung der Meer.
The protection of the seas is negotiated within the framework of national and international environmental policies. Two main principles shape these considerations: the so-called polluter-pays principle and the precautionary principle.
Ecosystems can withstand the pressure arising from climate change and human interventions only to a certain extent.
The ocean forms the largest continuous habitat on Earth and is home to millions of different plants, animals, and microorganisms.
All ecosystem services of the ocean are vital for both humanity and nature.
The federal government and the governments of the five northern German states support the current development and sponsor the DAM