International
Persian Gulf nations sign antipollution pact oil tanker traffic. About 1 billion tons of oil is exported each year, most of it in large tankers. protect the Persian Gulf In view of these considerations, it from industrial wastes and wasn't surprising that the conferees got down to business in earnest as soon as the establish regional trust somewhat delicate political semantics of how to refer to the Persian Gulf had been fund to help pay costs dispensed with. The Iranian delegates wanted to retain its geographic name, but this wasn't acceptable to the Arabians. The eight countries that rim the Persian The problem was resolved by agreeing to Gulf are the latest among those taking refer to it simply as "the region." concerted action to protect their shared The framework convention, the first of marine environments against the ravages the two treaties adopted, states in its of pollution. Late last month Bahrain, preamble that the eight countries "realize Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi that pollution of the marine environment Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in the region by oil and other harmful and followed the example set by the Medinoxious materials arising from human terranean countries' collective action two activities on land or at sea, especially years ago by agreeing to antipollution through the indiscriminate and uncontreaties whereby they pledge to collabotrolled discharge of these substances, rate in preventing damage to their marine presents a growing threat to marine life, ecosystem. They also adopted a farfisheries, human health, the recreational ranging action plan and created a $6.32 uses of beaches, and other amenities." million regional trust fund to help pay for The signatory states agree to "prevent, its cost (C&EN, May 1, page 10). abate, and combat pollution caused by The steps were taken at a conference international or accidental discharge from hosted by Kuwait late last month. It was ships, by dumping from ships and aircraft, convened by the United Nations Enviby discharges from land, and resulting ronment Program (UNEP). More than 70 from land reclamation and associated top government officials and scientists coastal dredging." from the countries concerned attended. In The second treaty, a protocol, calls on addition, there were representatives from signatories to "cooperate in taking the such UN bodies as the Food & Agriculture necessary and effective measures to proOrganization (FAO), the Intergoverntect the coastline from the threat and efmental Maritime Consultative Organifects of pollution due to oil or other zation, the United Nations Educational, harmful substances resulting from marine Scientific & Cultural Organization, and emergencies." the World Health Organization, as well as The treaties come into force when rafrom the Organization of Arab Petroleum tified by five of the eight countries. This Exporting Countries. probably will be sometime within Dr. Abdul Rahman al-Awadi, two years. Work will begin very Kuwait's public health minister, soon, however, on aspects of the Eight nations border Persian Gulf who was elected conference presregional plan that was approved ident, set the urgent tone of the unanimously. This plan has as its meeting. He cautioned that the central objective "the protection Persian Gulf is "the only body of and development of the marine water that receives the waste and environment and the coastal areas Iracp residue of our industrial and [of the Persian Gulf] for the benurban activities. This obliges us to efit of present and future genera-Kuwait make a special effort to protect tions." it." He urged that all the states One of several elements of the involved take initiatives to elimiaction plan is an environmental Iran nate the threats to its environassessment of the Persian Gulf. ment, noting that efforts should This, in turn, will entail drawing be based on regional and interup a detailed profile of its marine Omannational cooperation and coordiecosystem. Another will involve Bahrain -Qatar nation. overall environmental manageGulf of ment. The work will be managed The Persian Gulf topographical Oman Saudt Arabia from an organization headquarfeatures make it particularly susters in Kuwait. Too, Bahrain will ceptible to environmental damhave a marine emergency mutual age. The body of water, which is Oman United Arab Emirates , aid center to coordinate action some 720 miles long and ranges against oil spills. D between 45 and 210 miles in
Eight countries agree to
width, has access to the open sea only through the narrow Strait of Hormuz at its lower end. It is quite shallow, averaging from 105 feet in depth, with coastal waters less than 30 feet deep extending many miles offshore. Moreover, the water is warm and highly saline, so that it has low purging capacity for the growing inflow of industrial and urban wastes and the large brine input from the world's greatest concentration of desalination plants. Compounding these physical aspects is the rapid pace of industrialization throughout the region and the attendant swelling of the populations of the coastal towns. Already built or under construction are some 26 desalination and power plants, 22 oil refineries, 16 natural gas liquefaction plants, a wide variety of petrochemical operations, 11 cement plants, eight aluminum smelters, two copper refineries, and many additional operations with high pollution potential. There are, too, a number of heavy construction and engineering projects such as the building of new harbors and port facilities, roads, and towns. According to one UN estimate, investment per coastal mile approaches $67 million on the Arabian side and $34 million on the opposite Iranian side. All told, the UN believes, investment in industry, infrastructure, and social facilities along the entire coastline soon will exceed $80 billion. Of no less concern to the Kuwait conference participants is the abiding fear of a serious oil spill in the Persian Gulf and the extensive damage such an event could cause. Besides offshore oil and gas operations, there is a heavy concentration of
May 15, 1978 C&EN
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