Ocean pollution

Not only did the blistering heat in July set forests and towns alight, it also markedly increased the temperature of coastal waters, giving rise to a phenomenon known as a marine heatwave. 

​​​​​​In fact, when air tempratures peaked around July 25-27, the surface of the sea reached up to 30 degrees Celsius, as recorded in the southern Ionian Sea. 

Turkey and its neighbors pledged on Dec. 10 to do a better job addressing the threats posed by pollution to people's health and the natural habitats of the Mediterranean Sea.

From plastic waste to slimy mucilage forming on their coasts, the ring of tourism-dependent Mediterranean countries have battled a steady stream of environmental problems.

A large oil spill off the southern California coast left fish dead, birds mired in petroleum and wetlands contaminated, prompting local officials to call it an environmental catastrophe.

The U.S. Coast Guard, heading a clean-up response involving federal, state and city agencies, said on Sunday there was an around-the-clock investigation into how the spill occurred.

As Montenegro explores offshore for oil and gas, a state body and environmentalists say authorities are not doing enough to mitigate the potential impact of oil spills or other environmental disasters.

Turkey on April 13 issued new directives to its coastal provinces on waste management of incoming non-domestic ships amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Mytilineos group subsidiary Zeologic SA on Wednesday announced the signing of an agreement with Fairdeal Marine Services FZE for the construction of a treatment plant for oily sludge as well as sludge arising from flue gas treatment systems.

Ferry companies are preparing to raise ticket prices this year following their new obligation to use types of fuel with a lower sulfur content than previously (down from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent).

Turkey's coastal city of Antalya will host COP22, an international convention on the protection of the Mediterranean marine environment and coastline in 2021, the country's minister of environment said on Dec. 18.

The Black Sea Basin Directorate, the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water and the Regional Laboratory of the Executive Environment Agency have responded to a report of beach pollution in Albena resort, said the press office of the Basin Directorate. A section of approximately 2 km up to the mouth of the Kranevska river has been inspected.

Bulgaria joined the first global multi-agency operation codenamed 30 Days at Sea. The purpose of the operation is to ascertain violations and crimes resulting to pollution of sea environment, reported the Bulgarian National Television. 

A total of 276 law enforcement and environmental agencies from 58 countries took part at the operation between October 1 and 31, led by Europol.