Global Coalition Pushes for UN Treaty on Sewage Pollution

As delegates gather in Kenya for the 11th Our Ocean Conference, the Ocean Sewage Alliance is demanding a United Nations Global Sewage Treaty. The coalition argues that untreated wastewater, which currently accounts for a $4 trillion annual economic loss, remains the most ignored existential threat to marine health.

While global conservation efforts frequently center on plastic waste and overfishing, nearly half of the world's wastewater enters ecosystems untreated. This contamination ravages coral reefs, fisheries, and coastal communities, creating a transboundary crisis that no single nation can manage in isolation. Jasmine Fournier, Executive Director of the Ocean Sewage Alliance, emphasizes that ocean protection is functionally impossible while billions of gallons of raw sewage continue to flow into waterways daily.

Kenya, the host of this year’s conference, serves as a stark case study for the scale of the problem. Research indicates that only 11% of the country's wastewater is treated, resulting in a 5.1% decline in its fisheries economy and over $65 million in annual losses linked to waterborne diseases. Scientific findings further suggest that Marine Protected Areas—the bedrock of the 30x30 conservation pledge—are being actively undermined by poor wastewater management, particularly across East Africa.

To bridge this gap, the coalition proposes a treaty framework focused on six pillars, including updated regulatory standards, innovative financing, and stronger international enforcement. Advocates note that while the technology for sanitation exists, the lack of global governance prevents the necessary scaling of these solutions. Success stories like Fresh Life in Nairobi and Kisumu demonstrate that localized sanitation investments can simultaneously improve public health, generate jobs, and restore ecosystem resilience. The alliance is now urging stakeholders to sign the Action Pledge at globalsewagetreaty.org to force the issue onto the international political agenda.