Wil, While I did take a gratuitous swipe at lawyers, I think the IMO is doing an exemplary job on this issue.
I hope I didn't give the impression that I thought otherwise. Best, Ken _______________ Ken Caldeira Carnegie Institution for Science Dept of Global Ecology 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA 94305 USA +1 650 704 7212 [email protected] http://dge.stanford.edu/labs/caldeiralab https://twitter.com/KenCaldeira On Sat, Oct 19, 2013 at 9:24 PM, Wil Burns <[email protected]> wrote: > Gratuitous pokes at lawyers by members of this group aside, a couple of > responses to observations made below: > > > 1. The Parties to the London Convention and its Protocol can't serve > as the "Planet Police" that could address the lion's share of CO2 emissions > even if they wanted to. The Convention is limited to cover the deliberate > disposal at sea of wastes or other matter from vessels, aircraft, and > platforms. The IMO has also begun to address carbon dioxide emissions from > vessels, which are a steadily growing source of emissions, so it's not like > it's standing idly aside; > 2. The approach taken by the Parties appears to be quite salutary. It, > at least for the time being, restricts OIF activities to scientific > research, and calls for the use of its extremely well thought out risk > assessment procedure, which includes provisions for input by potentially > affected stakeholders in other jurisdictions. At this incipient stage of > OIF research, this strikes me as reasonable governance approach for OIF > research, which will permit scientific assessment while ensuring meaningful > participation by interested parties. If the contempt that some members of > this list are expressing for this approach is based on their mistrust of > the IMO in this context, then who should be trusted to balance the > competing interests intrinsic to this kind of activity? > > Wil Burns, Associate Director > Master of Science - Energy Policy & Climate Program > Johns Hopkins University > 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW > Room 104J > Washington, DC 20036 > 202.663.5976 (Office phone) > 650.281.9126 (Mobile) > [email protected] > > http://advanced.jhu.edu/academic/environmental/master-of-science-in-energy-policy-and-climate/index.html > SSRN site (selected publications): http://ssrn.com/author=240348 > > > Skype ID: Wil.Burns > > Teaching Climate/Energy Law & Policy Blog: > http://www.teachingclimatelaw.org > > On Friday, October 18, 2013 4:24:02 PM UTC-7, andrewjlockley wrote: > >> http://www.maritime-executive.**com/article/Marine-** >> Geoengineering-to-be-**Regulated-Under-Amendments-to-** >> International-Treaty-2013-10-**18/<http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/Marine-Geoengineering-to-be-Regulated-Under-Amendments-to-International-Treaty-2013-10-18/> >> >> Marine Geoengineering to be Regulated Under Amendments to International >> Treaty >> >> 35th Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the Convention on the >> Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 >> (London Convention) 8th meeting of Contracting Parties to the 1996 Protocol >> thereto (London Protocol) >> >> BY MAREX >> >> Marine geoengineering, including ocean fertilization, will be regulated >> under amendments to the 1996 Protocol to the international treaty which >> regulates the dumping of wastes and other matter at sea. >> >> >> The amendments, adopted on Friday by Parties to the 1996 Protocol to the >> Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and >> Other Matter, 1972, add a new article 6bis which states that “Contracting >> Parties shall not allow the placement of matter into the sea from vessels, >> aircraft, platforms or other man-made structures at sea for marine >> geoengineering activities listed in Annex 4, unless the listing provides >> that the activity or the sub-category of an activity may be authorized >> under a permit”. >> >> >> Marine geoengineering is defined as “a deliberate intervention in the >> marine environment to manipulate natural processes, including to counteract >> anthropogenic climate change and/or its impacts, and that has the potential >> to result in deleterious effects, especially where those effects may be >> widespread, long-lasting or severe”. >> >> >> A new Annex 4 on “Marine geoengineering” lists “Ocean fertilization”, >> defined as “any activity undertaken by humans with the principal intention >> of stimulating primary productivity in the oceans. Ocean fertilization >> does not include conventional aquaculture, or mariculture, or the creation >> of artificial reefs.” >> >> >> The Annex provides that all ocean fertilization activities other than >> those referred to above shall not be permitted. An ocean fertilization >> activity may only be considered for a permit if it is assessed as >> constituting legitimate scientific research taking into account any >> specific placement assessment framework. >> >> >> A new annex V adds the Assessment Framework for matter that may be >> considered for placement under Annex 4. The Assessment framework provides >> that Contracting Parties should consider any advice on proposals for >> activities listed from independent international experts or an independent >> international advisory group of experts. >> >> >> The amendments will enter into force 60 days after two thirds of the >> Contracting Parties have deposited an instrument of acceptance of the >> amendment with IMO. (The London Protocol currently has 43 Parties.) >> >> >> Mr. Stefan Micallef, Director, Marine Environment Division, International >> Maritime Organization (IMO) commended the adoption of the amendment to >> regulate the placement of matter for ocean fertilization and other marine >> geoengineering activities. “This is a true testament to the fact that the >> London Protocol continues to be among the most advanced international >> regulatory instruments addressing human activities in the marine >> environment and there is no doubt that this much-awaited amendment will be >> appreciated by other international bodies. The amendment also reflects the >> scientific-based approach of the London Convention and its 1996 Protocol,” >> Mr. Micallef said. >> >> >> Representatives of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on the >> Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 >> (London Convention) and to the 1996 Protocol thereto (London Protocol), >> were in London for their 35th/8th meeting, held from 14 to 18 October at >> the Headquarters of IMO, which hosts the Office for the London Convention >> and Protocol. >> >> >> The London Protocol prohibits the dumping of wastes and other matter at >> sea except for those on a short permitted list, for which permits must be >> sought. >> >> >> The adoption of amendments relating to marine geoengineering follows >> discussion on the matter in previous LC/LP meetings. An agreement issued in >> 2008 stated that ocean fertilization activities, other than legitimate >> scientific research, should not be allowed. In 2010, the Parties approved >> an “Assessment Framework for Scientific Research Involving Ocean >> Fertilization.” >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "geoengineering" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
