From policies to science: Strategies for marine environmental protection

Abstract Concern over the extent of marine pollution in many of the world's more populated coastal environments has stimulated an international debate on how to improve strategies for marine pollution prevention. Much of the debate centres on the concepts of Sustainable Development and Precautionary Action and the various ways to reflect these concepts in new strategies and measures for reducing emissions of substances and wastes. The degree to which scientific considerations should influence regulatory actions in limiting the types and amounts of substances emitted to the environment is also a matter of intensive discussion. However, some scientists now believe that a common and comprehensive strategy for protection and management of the total environment is a logical prerequisite to significant reductions in marine and other forms of pollution on a global scale.