464 



The United States believes strongly that preservation of the marine environ- 

 ment and marine pollution are appropriate subjects for international action, 

 and has supported various activities in this area for m^auy years. 



On May 23, 1970, President Nixon announced a new U.S. Oceans Policy in 

 which he pointed out that States are becoming apprehensive about the ecological 

 hazards of unregulated use of the oceans and seabeds. He urged that a new 

 international seabed regime should, inter alia, protect the ocean from pollution. 

 He stated that if new international agreements with respect to Law of the 

 Sea can be obtained, over two-thirds of the earth's surface can be saved from 

 national conflict and rivalry be protected from pollution, and put to use for 

 the benefit of all. 



The problems of pollution are no longer restricted to our cities nor to the 

 streams, I'ivers and estuaries of our land masses. Residuals of some pollutants 

 can now be found in all the seas and oceans of the world. Such pollutants have 

 their origin in both maritime and land-based activities. Pollution from the latter 

 is carried to the oceans by air currents, by fresh water run-off or is the result 

 fix)m deliberate disposal of materials into the oceans. 



Growth in the world population and advances in technology have produced 

 rapid increase in waste products and the long held view that the oceans have 

 infinite ability to accommodate the consequences of human activity has been 

 proven false. We now recognize that pollutants reaching the seas and ocean 

 are a threat to the health and general welfare of mankind, as well as to the 

 productivity of living resources of the oceans. 



Pollution affects the maritime environment, its living resources and ultima tel.v 

 human beings in a variety of ways. Toxic substances can kill animals or plants 

 which come in contact with them. Still other pollutants may alter the oceans' 

 environment making it unsuitable for animal life. Finally, pollutants can be 

 concentrated into living resources of the ocean and as consequence these re- 

 sources may become unsuitable as human food. 



The impact of some pollutants on the ocean and its inhabitants and its con- 

 sequence to human beings is not yet clear. It is, however, obvious that increased 

 understanding of the amount, distribution and effects of pollution in the marine 

 environment will be required to implement effective measures for pollution 

 control and that a variety of actions will be required depending on the nature 

 and origin of the pollutant. 



The complexity of the problem is further evidenced by the growing number of 

 international organizations dealing with some aspect of the marine pollution 

 problem. At the same time we have to recognize that the marine pollution prob- 

 lem and the need to preserve the marine environment are an important part, but 

 only a part, of the global environment problems to be discussed at the 1972 

 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The measures we decide to 

 take here in the marine area must take into account the wider problems of human 

 environment and should in no way conflict with measures which might be taken 

 in that wider area. 



To be effective, action must be taken in concert among states to prevent pollu- 

 tion and they must be prepared to implement agreed actions. If only a few states 

 should take the needed anti-pollution measures, any resultant improvement might 

 prove to be temporary only. In the absence of cooperative international action, 

 competitive economic pressures will severely limit national abilities to take or 

 require the costly measures needed to protect the marine environment. Only a 

 broad international approach can provide suflicient incentives for all states con- 

 cerned to do their part. 



The Seabed Committee, of course, has been assigned the responsibility for 

 dealing with seabed pollution. The Declaration of Principles regarding the seabed 

 adopted by the General Assembly in December 1970 contemplates that the inter- 

 national seabed regime will include such provision. Accordingly, this aspect of 

 the marine pollution problem must necessarily have an important relationship 

 to the work of Subcommittee I on the international seabed regime and machinery 

 as well as to the work of this Subcommittee. It is our view that the regime should 

 provide that all activities in the international seabed area shall be conducted 

 with strict and adequate safeguards for the protection of human life and safety 

 and of the marine environment. Moreover, the safe development of seabed 

 resources necessarily requires appropriate provisions in the regime treaty itself 

 as well as a major environmental protection r.ole for the international machinery 

 to be established under the regime. 



