ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES - FOCUS ON INDIAN OCEAN: EVALUATION OF INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENTS AND PROTOCOLS

Abstract

Environmental challenges are posing serious threats not only to humanity but to all creatures on Earth. Countering rapid ecological degradation in the last two decades has been a source of serious stress for the international community. According to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), human imprint is contributing to climate change due to many factors. The retrospective study highlights oil spills, plastic pollution, nuclearization, Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF), domestic waste, agricultural waste, and heavy metal pollution as reasons towards environmental degradation and negative impacts on marine ecosystems. Analytical study of international efforts for ecological protection highlights certain limitations to implementing international agreements and protocols. Parties’ non-compliance to surrender their sovereignty before international organizations is a serious matter. Such a situation needs revisiting the international attitude towards environmental protection not for the current population but for generations to come. Descriptive research with comparative analysis of international efforts to counter hazards proposes region-specific recommendations with the consent of all participating states to make concrete efforts to save Earth's ecosystem. Regularly revised international regulations and protocols as per circumstantial needs will help to secure seas and maritime environment.