L02 - Maritime Environmental Issues and Global Regulatory Framework Flashcards
Maritime Environmental Issues and Global Regulatory Framework
some facts for a strong essay..
- According to the UN’s FAO, over 70% of the World’s fish species are
either fully exploited or depleted. - Marine tourism, marine fisheries, and aquaculture (aqua farming) are
estimated to provide global economic benefits worth $161 billion, $80
billion and $57 billion, respectively. - Marine pollution originating from land based sources: 80%.
what are the key environmental aspects that have to do with pollution from shipping?
Water and Air Pollution:
Water:
- oil
- chemicals
- dangerous goods
Air:
- air pollutants (affects port, coasts and coastal cities)
- GHGs (climate change)
- ozone depleting substances (ozone hole and climate change)
What are the Key Environmental Issues concerning shipping?
- Oil platform operations
- sea bed drilling
- Invasive Aquatic Species
- Plastics
- Ship’s decommisioning and end of life
- Anti-fouling coatings/systems
- land based pollutions entering seas
- increase in underwater noise
- Land-based and coastal developmen
what are the key impacts of these environmental issues?
Changing marine ecosystem
Loss of marine biodiversity
Climate change and global warming
Pollution and dangers to human health, economy, etc.
Explain the impacts of Invasive Aquatic Species
- Aquatic Invasive Species refer to the non-indigenous species in a particular areas.
- AISs harm not only the environment but also have industrial, social, recreational, and economic impacts.
- AISs can be transported by ships from one area to another.
* This transfer needs to be minimized.
Explain the impacts of water pollution originate:
- Nearly 80% of marine pollution originates on land;
- Pollution could be due to:
– Offshore oil and gas production,
– Coastal industries,
– Agriculture
– Marine transportation. - Traditional shipping and oil transportation routes are more exposed to the impacts of shipping pollutions.
Explain how the impacts of ocean acidification originate:
- ocean acidification is caused by the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere or acid rain.
- Ocean acidification is represented by a drop in its pH value.
- Ocean acidity can severely threaten marine species and their
habitats. - Ocean acidity is regarded as one of the stressors of the marine life.
- If nothing done, the pH of the oceans would be less than 7.8 in 2100 compared to a pH of around 8.1 today.
- This is significant as the pH scale is logarithmic; meaning a drop of 0.1 pH units represents a 25% increase in acidity.
- There are lots of evidence of negative impacts of rapidly changing ocean pH on marine ecosystem.
Explain how the impacts of sea level rising originate:
- Since the mid-19th century, sea level has been rising, primarily as a
result of human-induced climate change. - Melting of polar ice caps, increase in sea water temperature help this
rise in sea level.
Explain how the impacts of sea level temperature rising originate:
- Mainly due to climate change.
- Numerous reports such as:
– Higher Earth surface temperature
– Frequent occurrences of warmest days, years and decades by
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
– The hottest global land and ocean average surface temperatures
in the last decade since records in 1880.
Explain how the impacts of Loss of biodiversity and marine food sources orginate:
As a result environmental pollution and sea water physical and chemical changes, the overall ecological unity of oceans are under stress.
- This leads to loss of biodiversity and loss of food resources.
- According to the UN’s FAO, over 70% of the world’s fish species are either fully exploited or depleted.
What is the cost of these impacts to the environment and society?
Polluted waters
* Polluted lands
* Polluted air
* Cost to marine resources
* Cost to marine environment
* Cost to human health
* Dock side and ports equipment maintenance
What do you know about:
* Internal cost?
* External cost?
How much will be the
cost of mitigation or
adaptation?
What are the main challenges to the impacts?
How to reverse the impact and what can shipping do about this?
What are the main considerations when addressing these challenges?
Main considerations:
The marine environmental issues are international in nature.
Solutions should be international. All countries need to get engaged.
Issues are multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary, thus solutions will
not be simple.
Solutions must be based on sustainability principles.
What does sustainable development mean?
the development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs
