The Pollution Prevention Program (PPP) aims to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution in RSA, including marine pollution by litter, plastics, nutrients, oil, chemicals, and hazardous substances. This program addresses pollution from land-based sources, sea-based sources, oil and gas rigs, and maritime activities including ship movements in RSA. The PPP will ensure a holistic approach to preventing and significantly reducing marine pollution and the conservation of marine ecosystems in RSA.
The implementation of the Pollution Prevention Program (PPP) will assist ROPME and member states in achieving the following regional and international conventions and protocols:
- UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 “Life Below Water” (SDG14, Targets: 14.1, 14.2, and 14.A).
- IMO International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments” (Ballast Water Management Convention, 2004).
- IMO Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
- Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (1989).
- ROPME Protocol for the Protection of Marine Environment against Pollution from Land-based Sources (1990).
- ROPME Protocol Concerning Marine Pollution resulting from Exploration and Exploitation of the Continental Shelf (1993).
- ROPME Protocol on the Control of Marine Transboundary Movements and Disposal of Hazardous and Other Wastes (1998).
The main priorities areas of the program are:
- Land-Based Sources of Pollution: Reduce the amount of pollution from land that enters the marine environments in RSA.
- Sea-Based Sources of Pollution: Minimize pollution generated by oil and gas rigs and maritime activities in RSA.
- Oil and Hazardous Substances: Prevent and mitigate the impacts of oil spills and hazardous substances on the marine environments in RSA.
Key Strategic Impacts:
- Reduced marine litter, plastic, chemical, and oil pollution in RSA.
- Improved coastal and marine water quality, healthier marine ecosystems, and good environmental status (GES) of RSA.
- Increased compliance with international and regional conventions and protocols.
Key Activities
- Developing “The ROPME Regional Guidelines and Work Plan on Marine Litter and Plastics in RSA” followed by an assessment study on the implementation of the waste management strategies to prevent litter and plastic from reaching the RSA marine environment.
- Developing a regional work plan to activate and monitor the implementation of ROPME Protocols to support member states in practicing sustainable agricultural, aquaculture, and stormwater management to prevent the discharge of nutrients, pesticides, fertilizers, sewage, and chemicals into RSA.
- Developing a regional work plan and reporting mechanism to monitor the implementation of the “IMO International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments” and the IMO Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
- Developing a “Common Regional Framework for Integrated Coastal Zones Management in RSA” which will provide methodological guidance to member states.
- Enhancing the role of ROPME’s Remote Sensing Unit and MEMAC