From the equator to the poles, managing international marine pollution is the cornerstone of protecting human health and living marine resources. This course examines global programs, supported by international treaties, which are designed to manage specific marine pollution problems. When treaties enter into force, it is the responsibility of Contracting Parties to prevent, reduce, and control pollution from point sources and nonpoint sources to the best of their regulatory, economic, scientific, and technical capabilities. National governments must work collaboratively with each other and with a wide range of stakeholders, including international organizations, non-governmental organizations, maritime industries, local communities, and the private sector, to achieve successful implementation of innovative ideas, cooperative environmental action plans, and sustainable management strategies.

As future environmental professionals, students in this course will examine cutting-edge challenges and discuss effective solutions regarding:

• Preparation for a possible representative from MIIS to participate in discussions at the U.S. Department of State’s 2016 Our Ocean Conference, with specific reference to marine pollution and global climate change challenges.

• Programs managed by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United Nations’ Environment Programme (UNEP) to address global marine pollution problems.

• Actions undertaken by Contracting Parties to the IMO’s 1972 London Convention and 1996 Protocol to the London Convention to promote the effective control of marine pollution, including dredging operations to accommodate larger classes of ships, port expansion programs, and emerging ocean dumping activities in coastal and open ocean areas. We will discuss what practical steps can be taken to prevent pollution when acceptable wastes are proposed for dumping at sea.

• Activities implemented by UNEP’s Caribbean Environment Programme and 28 countries in the Wider Caribbean Region to accomplish the goals and objectives of the 1983 Cartagena Convention and its three protocols, with a focus on land-based sources of pollution.

• New global programs under the IMO’s 2017 Polar Code that regulates safety and environmental protection programs for ships operating in waters around Arctic and Antarctic regions.

• Introduction to the control of air emissions from ships and port operations.

• Introduction to the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) training program to protect workers responding to hazardous spills, and how properly trained workers operate within the Incident Command System (ICS) used during pollution response operations for ocean and coastal areas.