Environmental Issues Affecting The Worlds Oceans

Ocean covers 71 percent of the world s surface and holds 97 percent of the total water on Earth. For centuries, people have regarded it as an inexhaustible resource and a useful transport route. The ocean also plays a significant role in regulating the climate, the atmosphere, carbon cycling, and nutrition flow. However, environmental problems, particularly over the last few decades, have pushed the ocean to its limits. This essay will argue three major environmental issues impacting the world s oceans by focusing on the present condition and phenomena of these problems, possible reasons or factors, and lastly, damage to the ocean environment. Plastic threatens the diversity of marine life and affects the ocean s ecological circulation. Plastic is a large part of ocean waste, and its proportions continue to grow. Under natural conditions, general plastic decomposition needs 50 to 70 years. However, some plastics take hundreds of years to decompose. 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