Environment, Economics and Society – leading the way to environmental

sustainability in the marine industry

David Loosley,

Chief Executive, IMarEST

Overview

• Defining ‘sustainability’

• The overarching elements

• The key players

• Current environmental challenges

• Future environmental challenges

• The IMarEST and its role in sustainability

DEFINING SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainable development is commonly

defined as development that which "meets

the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs."

Economic Development

People throughout the world

deserve the best standard of

living that is sustainable.

Improving medical care,

sanitation, education, and

enabling people to support

themselves with a good

standard of living requires the

generation of wealth by

economic activity. Sustainable

economies also need to be

competitive in a world market.

Products that are too expensive

to buy cannot be sustainable,

even if they are environmentally

friendly

Environmental Protection

Sustainable human activities

look to protect the Earth’s

environment and limited

resources to make sure it is not

damaged for future

generations.

Social Development

To have a sustainable future, the needs

of people must be met and the best

standard of living possible must be

achieved without harming or exploiting

others. Sustainable development

addresses these needs by promoting

equality, education and participation in

local communities.

All too often, development is driven by one particular

need, without fully considering the wider or future

impacts.

We’ve seen the damage this kind of approach can

cause, from large-scale financial crises caused by

irresponsible banking, to climate-change from our

dependence on fossil fuels.

Living within our environmental limits is one of the

central principles of sustainable development. But the

focus of sustainable development is far broader than

just the environment. It's also about ensuring a strong,

healthy and just society. This means meeting the

diverse needs of all people in existing and future

communities, promoting personal wellbeing, social

cohesion and inclusion, and creating equal opportunity.

History• 1972 - United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm

brought the industrialized and developing nations together to delineate the ‘rights’ of

the human family to a healthy and productive environment

• 1980 - International Union for the Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN)

published the World Conservation Strategy (WCS) which provided a precursor to the

concept of sustainable development

• 1992 - UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was held in Rio

de Janeiro and adopted an agenda for environment and development in the 21st

Century

• 2012 - “Rio+20" how to build a green economy to achieve sustainable development

and lift people out of poverty; and how to improve international coordination for

sustainable development. = more than $513 billion was pledged to build a sustainable

future

THE OVERARCHING ELEMENTS

• UN has 8 Millennium Development Goals – energy is

central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity

the world faces today

• The basic human needs of food, clean water and energy

are pivotal drivers for sustainable development in the

marine and maritime sector.

• A profound change of the global food and agriculture

system is needed if we are to nourish today's 925 million

hungry and the additional 2 billion people expected by

2050.

• Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the

world we want to live in. There is sufficient fresh water on

the planet to achieve this but by 2050, at least one in four

people is likely to live in a country affected by chronic or

recurring shortages of fresh water.

Rio + 20

Sustainable Energy for All

– Universal energy access, renewable energy & energy efficiency

A Focus on Oceans

– Sustainable fisheries

– Protection of coral reefs

– Reduction of invasive species

The world's oceans - their temperature, chemistry, currents and life - drive global

systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water,

weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we

breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. Throughout history, oceans

and seas have been vital conduits for trade and transportation. Careful management of

this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future

Key Players in Sustainable Development

• Business and Industry

• Children and Youth

• Farmers

• Indigenous Peoples

• Governments and Local Authorities

• NGOs

• Scientific & Technological Community

• Women

• Workers and Trade Unions

Business and Industry

• Nearly 8,000 companies from 140 countries participate in the United

Nations Global Compact.

• The Global Corporate Sustainability Report 2013 reveals that

businesses around the world are beginning to take sustainability more

seriously.

• Environmental principles are:

– Businesses should support a precautionary approach to

environmental challenges

– undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility

– encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally

friendly technologies

How businesses

can commit to

sustainable

development

Business and Industry

• There is no alternative to sustainable development

• Sustainable development can drive innovation

• Voluntary action might not be enough

• Businesses can yield bottom-line and top line

returns.

Legislation

• There has been a mass of guidance and policies permeating

the industry with regard to sustainable development, but little

in the way of primary legislation

• For example - There have been a number of EU Directives

and statutes passed over the years but all have more oblique

roles apropos sustainable development since they tend to

have broadly environmental roots.

Legislation & IMO – A Sustainable

Maritime Transportation System

• The IMO vision states … “to achieve a sustainable maritime

transport system it is a must to minimize the environmental

impact of shipping and activities of maritime industries”.

• Environmental stewardship should be reflected in the

development and implementation of global standards for

pollution prevention and protection of the marine environment.

CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Current Environmental Issues – against

the 3 pillars

Why care?

• Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.

• Globally, the market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at $3 trillion

per year or about 5 per cent of global GDP.

• Oceans contain nearly 200,000 identified species, but actual numbers may lie in the millions.

• Oceans absorb about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of

global warming.

• Oceans serve as the world’s largest source of protein, with more than 2.6 billion people depending

on the oceans as their primary source of protein.

• Marine fisheries directly or indirectly employ over 200 million people.

• Subsidies for fishing are contributing to the rapid depletion of many fish species and are preventing

efforts to save and restore global fisheries and related jobs, causing ocean fisheries to generate

US$ 50 billion less per year than they could.

• As much as 40 per cent of the world oceans are heavily affected by human activities, including

pollution, depleted fisheries, and loss of coastal habitats.

Climate Change – The Big Issue

GHG emissions from shipping

GHG Emissions

GHG emissions

responsible for

climate change

Protection of people from impacts of

climate change

Costs to shippers to

comply with legislation

GHG – mitigation

• Speed reduction by ships

• Speed reduction due to port efficiency

• Shore side power/cold ironing

• Carbon credits/Other market based measures

• Improved anti-foulings

• Alternative power sources (renewable such as wind, kites, solar)

• Alternative fuels such as LNG, biofuel

• Propeller polishing

• Water flow optimisation

• Propeller upgrades

• Hull cleaning

• Air lubrication

• Waste heat reduction

• Main engine retrofits

• High efficiency lighting

• Optimal routing

• Tuning/Process improvement on energy production

• Smart technology for fluid handling applications

• Autopilot upgrades

NOx and SOx emissions

Harmful acidification and nutrient

enhancement

Adverse respiratory

and cardiovascular

effects

Cost of health care &Cost to shipping

NOx and SOx mitigation

• Water Injection

• Selective catalytic reduction

• Low Sulphur fuel/marine distillites

• Scrubbers

• Alternative power sources (renewable such as wind, kites, solar)

• Alternative fuels such as LNG, biofuel

• Shore side power/cold ironing

• Exhaust gas recirculation

Spills & Leaks

Direct impact to wildlife and

habitats

Damage to livelihoods

and impact on food chain

Clean up costsLoss of livelihood

Mitigating spills and leaks

• Ship design

• Maintenance & Owner responsibility

• Competence

• Navigational aids & Onboard equipment

• Surveillance

• Inspections

• Reception facilities

• Cargo owner & consumer responsibility

Invasive Species

Lower biodiversity

and an unhealthy ecosystem

Human health issues and

loss of livelihoods

Cost of invasive species/cost of BWM /Antifouling

Mitigation of invasive species

• Legal instruments and financial penalties

• Ballast Water Management

• Ballast Water Treatment

• Ballast Water Exchange

• Antifouling coatings

• Cleaning intervals

• Propeller cleaning

• Good maintenence

Waste Management

Direct impact to wildlife via entrapment &

injestion

Direct harm to beach goers & swimmers plus loss of livelihood

Clean up costsLoss of livelihood

Mitigating Garbage• Reducing the use of disposable consumer products (e.g. plastic

bags)

• Incentivising the reuse of plastic and other containers through deposit schemes and reverse vending.

• Extended producer responsibility

• Better waste disposal facilities in coastal municipalities and at beaches

• Beach clean-ups

• Educational programs and promotional activities on marine litter

• Improved waste water treatment to prevent microplastics and other sewage related debris entering the sea from sewage outlets

• A more harmonized port reception facilities regime and discharge of water at port facilities

• Increased enforcement and higher fines for littering,both at sea and on land

• Measures to prevent loss of containers on ships and safer waste transportation

Sewage

O2 depletion leading to death of

aquatic animals and plants

Risk to public health for

swimmers & eating

contaminated seafood

Health costsLoss of livelihood Cost of equipment

Mitigating Sewage• a sewage treatment plant

• a sewage comminuting and disinfecting system, with facilities for temporary storage of sewage

• a holding tank for the retention of sewage which has sufficient capacity and has a visual indicator of the amount of its contents

• Sewage that has been treated can be discharged anywhere at sea.

• Sewage that has been comminuted and disinfected can be discharged a minimum of three miles from the nearest land. Untreated sewage must be discharged no less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land.

• In all the above cases the vessel must be proceeding at not less than 4 knots when making the discharge.

Underwater Noise

Impacts on marine life in

particular mammals who

depend on sound

Loss of keystone marine species

Cost of quieting measures

Mitigating Underwater Noise

• Design considerations– Propeller design

– Hull design

• On board machinery– Engine design

• Operational – Speed

– Hull & propeller cleaning

– Routing to avoid mammals

– Marine mammal observers

FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL

CHALLENGES

• Depletion of Fish Stocks

• Radioactive material

• Ocean Acidification

• Exploitation of Marine Genetic Resources

• Marine mining

• Coral Reef management

• Emissions of Black Carbon

• Nutrient over enrichment

• Exploration in harsher environments

• Decommissioning

Sustainability will drive innovation

and innovation will drive sustainability

THE IMAREST AND ITS ROLE IN

SUSTAINABILITY

IMarEST Mission

• Our vision is a world where marine

resources and activities are sustained,

managed and developed for the benefit of

humanity

• Delivering Safe and Sustainable Seas

• Environmental Sustainability is the area of

most common ground between Science,

Engineering & Technology

Our Members• Marine Scientists in:

• Oceanography

• Marine Biology

• Climate Change research

• Marine Engineers in:

• Defence

• Merchant Navy

• Ship Building and Ship Repair

• Oil and Gas

• Marine Technologists in:

• Marine Logistics

• Hydrographic Surveying and Cartography

• Navigation and Deck

• Marine Renewable Energy

Our Global Reach

Our Technical Voice

Our Technical

Policy

International Maritime

Organization

Intergovernmental

Oceanographic

Commission

United Nations

Convention on The Law

of The SeaInternational Panel on Climate Change

Observer

Observer

Consultative

Observer

(IPCC)

(IOC)

(LOS issues)

(IMO)International

Hydrographic

Organization

Observer

(IHO)

IMarEST Special Interest Groups (Sigs)

Climate Change Mitigation, Impacts

and Adaptation

How?

• Technical networks via NEXUS – open to all members

• Special interest & expert groups- small groupings of experts but with transparency

• Technical workshops

• Conferences & training courses

• Inputs to IGOs

• Publications

THANK YOU