The ocean is the source of life, covering more than 71% of the earth, and is home to more than 200,000 species of living things. The ocean is vital to mankind. It is the source of health, food, employment and happiness for billions of people. With the increase in the population of the earth and the shortage of land resources by large-scale development and utilization, the ocean has become a valuable asset for the sustainable development of human society and the last space on the earth. However, with the increase in the exploitation and utilization of the ocean by human society, the pressure on the marine environment is becoming more and more serious. The protection of the marine environment has received extensive and great attention from the international community, especially coastal countries.

The international community’s related institutional research on marine environmental issues first began in the early twentieth century. The International Convention for the Prevention of the Sea by Oil promulgated in 1954 marked the official start of international legislation and international cooperation for marine environmental protection. In the following half a century, international legislation on marine environmental protection has developed rapidly, and international cooperation has become increasingly active.

Since the promulgation of the International Convention for the Prevention of the Sea by Oil, countless global and regional conventions and bilateral cooperation agreements have been born, making positive contributions to the prevention, reduction and control of marine environmental pollution. We will select several important, influential and international conventions on marine protection for study and inspection. For example, the first international marine environmental protection convention-the main content of the 1954 International Convention for the Prevention of the Sea by Oil and its far-reaching significance in history; the Protocol of 1978, the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Dumping Pollution -the 1972 London Convention and Its 1996 Protocol, Oil Pollution Accident Emergency Response Convention-the 1990 International Convention on Oil Preparedness, Emergency Response and Cooperation, and many other international conventions.

Marine environmental protection is inseparable from the legal system. We should not only set up a reasonable legal framework for the protection of the marine environment, but also actively commit to the implementation of various systems and measures. We will continue to strengthen contacts with countries around the world and conduct research in order to make full use of existing resources and build a reasonable and effective legal system for marine environmental protection.