| dc.description.abstract | About two-thirds of the Earth is composed of oceans and is home to hundreds of millions of species of organisms. The oceans also absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide and play an essential role in mitigating climate change. In addition, the sea provides abundant resources, serves as the most critical transportation route for world trade and has significant value in terms of human economy and industry. As such, the ocean is closely related to our lives, and its importance is indescribable. However, the ocean, which is inextricably related to our lives, is greatly threatened by pollution, and one of the problems is pollution from marine litter.
Various marine organisms are physically affected by being entangled in or ingesting marine litter floating in the sea, and the invasion of alien species threatens the ecosystem through floating debris. Marine litter also affects marine industries such as shipping and tourism and has a serious impact on the human economy, society, and health through the sustainability and food chain of the marine environment. However, marine litter that negatively affects the marine environment and human life is becoming more serious.
Marine litter has a transboundary nature that moves to an area beyond its jurisdiction by currents, winds, and various natural phenomena. It also has the property of being oxidised and decomposed in the atmosphere and fragmented into fine pieces. It also moves through imports and exports of waste between countries. Waste transported to developing countries is often discharged into the ocean due to insufficient management capability. Therefore, marine litter is a pollutant that may differ between the person who initially generated it and the person who finally discharged it into the sea. In addition, marine litter is a pollutant composed of several polluters and victims, and in fact, it is an environmental issue in which we can all become polluters and victims. Moreover, the damage caused by marine litter often doesn't become immediately apparent. It may only become evident after a certain amount of time has passed and pollutants have accumulated. Therefore, identifying the causal relationship and measuring the damage caused by pollutants can be quite challenging.
Even though marine litter that has such a negative impact on the marine environment and human life is a pollutant that must be regulated, there is currently no legally binding treaty at the international level that directly regulates marine litter. In addition, there are many difficulties in determining responsibility for environmental damage caused by marine litter under the current responsibility regime in international environmental law.
Therefore, this thesis aims to present the responsibility and allocation of environmental damage caused by marine litter. To this end, this thesis suggests that it is necessary to adopt and apply international environmental principles to overcome the limitations of marine litter reduction, responsibility, and allocation. Moreover, this thesis will not only present a simple argument that marine litter should be reduced for environmental protection and the international community's attention is needed, but it will also constitute a piece of original research that suggests specific measures for the responsibility and allocation of marine litter. | en_GB |
