7.1. Minimise the negative effects of pollution on species.
Subactions
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7.1.1. Implement guidelines and decisions of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions to protect species from hazardous chemicals and wastes.
Solutions and case studies
Floating ecosystems bring water to life
Biomatrix specialises in water restoration. Our Floating Ecosystems are engineered to improve water quality within rivers, lakes, ponds and canals as they increase aquatic life, leading to a balanced and revitalised waterscape.
Floating Ecosystems inject life into an area, as the islands provide an opportunity for nature and wildlife to take hold. Islands break up open water surfaces and provide shade under water. Plant roots provide habitat for Microbes to break down pollution and nutrients, and are a shelter and feeding ground for small fish. Mechanical aeration can further improve water quality. Birds can find an undisturbed nesting and resting space in areas where there is often little safety.
The Biomatrix floating ecosystem structure is designed to make wetland creation and water restoration possible, even in locations with waves, changing water levels, hard edges and fast currents. The structural floating technology allows thriving wetland communities to be created in challenging and dynamic waterbodies.
The Litterboom Project
In South Africa almost 90% of South Africa’s marine plastic pollution originates from its own river systems.The Litterboom Project (TLP) uses a large pipe that is anchored across the river, which acts as a catchment for all surface-level plastics- which are predominantly HDPE and PET. This preventative measure is set up strategically where it can collect the most rubbish and where the team collects, sorts, and sends the plastic off for recycling.
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7.1.2. Support a new global treaty on plastic pollution to minimize effects on species.
Solutions and case studies
The Litterboom Project
In South Africa almost 90% of South Africa’s marine plastic pollution originates from its own river systems.The Litterboom Project (TLP) uses a large pipe that is anchored across the river, which acts as a catchment for all surface-level plastics- which are predominantly HDPE and PET. This preventative measure is set up strategically where it can collect the most rubbish and where the team collects, sorts, and sends the plastic off for recycling.
Integrating Value chain in Sustainable Solid Waste management in Kwale and Mombasa Counties, Kenya
The Centre for Environmental Justice and Development (CEJAD)aims to combat plastic and waste pollution by promoting sustainable solid management through public education on impacts of plastics to the environment and demonstration of BATs/BEPs such as source separation of waste, reuse, recycling and recovery as well value chain efficiency.
The project seeks to conduct the following activities:
- Equipping the women artisans with machinery, tools, and equipment for making sculptures and items out of plastic waste.
- Training women artisans on product development and packaging.
- Establishing a pilot waste segregation at source and management system for recovery, reuse, and recycle of plastic and other waste.
- Training women artisans on marketing and how to maintain market linkages.
- Undertaking a market research for their products.
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7.1.3. Limit impacts on species from agricultural runoff and biocides.
Other tools and resources
Conservación de la Microcuenca San Pablo: una historia de éxito de gobernanza compartida entre municipio y población local
La microcuenca de San Pablo, como bosque protector de nacimientos de agua, constituye una zona estratégica para el Municipio, el cual ha debido arbitrar medios necesarios para su protección a raíz de un nuevo escenario de producción: el cultivo de aguacate y sus consecuencias ambientales como la contaminación hídrica por los pesticidas y fertilizantes utilizados, la disminución de vegetación y bosques y la consecuente pérdida de conectividad ecológica con las demás microcuencas.
Entre las principales acciones de conservación implementadas se encuentran el aislamiento de los sitios de recarga hídrica para el control de daños por ingreso de ganado, la reforestación con especies nativas y la firma de acuerdos entre cultivadores de aguacate e instituciones del Estado en todos sus niveles, a fin de reducir la presión sobre el recurso hídrico.Solutions and case studies
Recovery of the water-wood traditional management system in the Cultural Landscape of the Honghe Hani Terraces World Heritage, China
The Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces (HHRT), covering 16,603 hectares in Southern Yunnan, was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 2013 under criteria (iii) and (v). The cultivation of traditional rice has deeply moulded the landscape and shaped the farming culture of Hani people which have sustained these terraces for centuries. However, deep social changes make the sustainability of the terraces uncertain. Ecological challenges combined with loss of traditional knowledge menace the conservation of this spectacular landscape. In order to address these challenges, before the inscription of the site, Honghe prefecture developed a strategy which focuses on the recovery of the traditional water management system based on the water-wood concept and the restoration of traditional leadership. Through participatory research and a multi-level partnership, this initiative has ensured water supply to villages and sustain terraces while recovering ancient cultural practices.
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7.1.4. Increase the use of integrated pest management, and reduce indiscriminate use of pesticides, antibiotics, fertilizers.
Solutions and case studies
Citizens are encouraged to be nosy about air quality
CurieuzeNeuzen is a Flemish wordplay that is difficult to translate but refers to someone who is curious to learn. It is the largest ever citizen science project to monitor air quality throughout the Flanders region of Belgium. Over 53,000 candidates registered, from which 20,000 citizens, but also organisations, schools and companies were selected to participate. They each received a user-friendly toolkit that enabled them to measure their street’s NO2 concentration which is primarily released from the burning of fossil fuels. Participants attached a V-shaped billboard onto their first-floor window on the street side. Two passive NO2 samplers attached within collected data from April 28 until May 26 in 2018. Participants were eager to know their results as more than 99% returned their tubes for processing. Internationally, this was the first time that citizens were actively involved on such a large scale in a scientific project on air quality which yielded incredibly detailed results.
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7.1.5. Minimise the loss of hydrocarbon-based fuel sources from marine vessels (e.g. bilge water discharge, fuel tank washing) that threaten species.
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7.1.6 Undertake measures to reduce the most severe impacts of acoustic and light pollution on threatened species in terrestrial and marine realms.
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7.1.7. Ensure chemical and veterinary medicine licensing procedures take into account potential or demonstrated impacts on non-target species and seek safer alternatives in line with a One Health appr
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7.1.8. Phase out the use of lead ammunition for hunting and sport shooting.
Other tools and resources
Agreement Text and its Annexes as amended by the 8th Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP8)
The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) is an intergovernmental treaty dedicated to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Greenland and the Canadian Archipelago.
Developed under the framework of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), AEWA brings together countries and the wider international conservation community in an effort to establish coordinated conservation and management of migratory waterbirds throughout their entire migratory range.