The oceans - including enclosed and semi-enclosed seas - are under increasing environmental stress from pollution, over-fishing and degradation of coastline and coral reefs. As part of its efforts to address the problems, the United Nations declared 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean to raise awareness as a first step to understand the oceans, both in terms of science and technology. It also announced an impressive theme "For Life on Earth: Save Our Seas" for the 1998 World Environment Day. The sources of pollution that pose the greatest threat to the marine environment are sewage, chemicals, sediments, litter and plastics, metals, radioactive wastes and oil. Some of these materials are toxic, slow to break down in the environment and accumulate in living creatures. Pollution also comes from shipping and dumping at sea. About 600,000 tons of oil enter the oceans each year as a result of normal shipping operations, accidents and illegal discharges. Although the GCC countries made huge efforts at both national and regional levels to protect the marine environment of the Gulf, it is of great importance to give it more attention. Its importance is actualized from being an essential part of the GCC countries＇ source of life, food, drinking water and the mean for their wealth transport. Considering that approximately 49% of international oil production comes from the Gulf States and passes through the Gulf, its liability to pollution is approximately 48 times more than any other similar area on earth. The international concern about the oceans and seas and the related international conventions and treaties support the Gulf States＇ debate to develop systems of effective coordination at national, regional and global levels. This puts in perspective the important policy dialogue among Gulf States on implementation issues and their efforts to ensure the protection of the Gulf from all sources of pollution. This paper attempts to highlight the United Nations＇ role to protect the oceans and seas, presenting a brief on sources of pollution in the Gulf and assessing their crucial impact on the Gulf environment. It will end with some recommendations proposed for adoption by concerned authorities.