A primer for the Environmental Impact Assessment of mining at seafloor massive sulfide deposits

Seafloor massive sulfides (SMS) contain commercially viable quantities of high grade ores, making them attractive prospect sites for marine mining. SMS deposits may also contain hydrothermal vent ecosystems populated by high conservation value vent-endemic species. Responsible environmental management of these resources is best achieved by the adoption of a precautionary approach. Part of this precautionary approach involves the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of exploration and exploitative activities at SMS deposits. The VentBase 2012 workshop provided a forum for stakeholders and scientists to discuss issues surrounding SMS exploration and exploitation. This forum recognised the requirement for a primer which would relate concepts underpinning EIA at SMS deposits. The purpose of this primer is to inform policy makers about EIA at SMS deposits in order to aid management decisions. The primer offers a basic introduction to SMS deposits and their associated ecology, and the basic requirements for EIA at SMS deposits; including initial data and information scoping, environmental survey, and ecological risk assessment.     

The environmental management of oil tanker routes in UK waters

The recent Haven, Braer, Aegean Sea and Sea Empress incidents have highlighted the need for protective measures against the risks posed by the shipping industry to the UK coast. This is particularly the case in the vicinity of environmentally sensitive areas. The principal objectives of this paper are to investigate the state of environmental management of tanker traffic in the UK by putting the geography of shipping into its environmental context. Regional traffic levels, accident rates, oil spills, and their potential consequences upon the environment have been summarised via a risk assessment which also considers coastal sensitivity. An assessment of measures available at international level then sets the scene for a review of marine traffic management schemes in operation around the UK. The state of management and its approaches are also discussed and a number of recommendations put forward during marine conferences in the last welve months are considered.     

海洋油气开发工程环境影响评价特点浅析

相比陆上油气开发工程和其他海洋工程而言,海洋油气开发工程有其自身的特点,海洋油气开发工程环境影响评价应关注的内容与其他工程有所不同。文章通过分析海洋油气开发工程的特点以及对环境影响的特点,提出海洋油气开发工程环境影响评价要点,即包括施工期悬浮泥沙及钻井液钻屑排放对海洋生态环境的影响、运营期含油生产水排放对海洋生态环境的影响、工程建设对海洋环境敏感目标的影响、溢油事故环境风险分析、污染防治及生态保护措施,并针对目前海洋油气开发工程环境影响评价存在的问题提出改进建议。     

Environmental issues with Australian ports

Ports and shipping operations are under increased environmental scrutiny in Australia, particularly as so many of Australia's ports and shipping routes are located in or near major environmentally sensitive areas. The environmental risks involved have been highlighted by the publicity given to shipping accidents. Environmental regulations over aspects of port operations, including ballast water management, dredge spoil and waste reception, are also becoming stricter. While port authorities have adopted stringent environmental guidelines, they remain concerned that the full impact of proposed new environmental regulations on maritime industry may not be fully understood. This paper discusses some of the issues involved with achieving a balance between environmental protection and the need to recognise the importance of seaborne trade to Australia and to maintain Australia's competitiveness in international trade.     

The environmental impacts of pollutants generated by routine shipping operations on ports

The environmental impacts generated by shipping operations have increasingly become an important research topic, where its pollutants often pose negative externalities to natural habitats and economic losses to coastal areas. While the environmental impact costs generated by shipping disasters, notably large scale accidental oil spills, have been widely studied, hitherto, works dedicated to the assessment of environmental impact costs of pollutants generated by routine shipping operations remain scarce due to their relatively implicit nature and thus delays of consequential risks. Hence, by proposing an economic model and calibrating it to Port of Rotterdam, this paper assesses the environmental impact costs generated by routine shipping operations on ports. By shedding light on this important, but under-researched, issue critical to the well-being of the global shipping industry, this paper provides a decent framework for further research in sustainable shipping and port management for future generations.     

Professionalization of the shipping industry via postgraduate education

The paper investigates the roles and nature of postgraduate education on the professionalization of the shipping industry. The recent growth of postgraduate education is marked by the massive expansion of professional programmes on disciplines which traditionally emphasized non-academic, apprentice-style learning approach, including shipping business and management. The reasons behind such growth of demands, however, have remained scarce and empirically under-researched. Understanding this deficiency, in this study, we have undertaken a questionnaire survey completed by students/graduates who are pursuing/have recently pursued masters' programmes in shipping-related business and management offered by six Asian and European universities. Specifically, we analyze student motivations, considerations, and sources of information before enrolling such programmes, the extent that the shipping industry or other forces act as driving forces towards such enrollment, as well as students' evaluation of the postgraduate programmes that they are pursing/have pursued. Integrated in these discussions are comparative analyses of the data provided by different student groups based on their professional experiences and cultural backgrounds. We believe that this study has provided the lacking empirical inputs essential for achieving the sustainable development of postgraduate education in shipping business and management.     

Aligning public participation with local environmental knowledge in complex marine social-ecological systems

The incorporation of local and traditional knowledges into environmental governance regimes is increasingly recognised as a critical component of effective and equitable conservation efforts. However, there remain significant barriers to integration of community-based knowledge within mainstream environmental governance. This paper explores community-based knowledge in the context of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a widely-used governance tool designed to predict and manage the impacts of development. Drawing on a social survey and interviews, the paper documents local community knowledge of environmental changes associated with dredging and the construction of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plants in a large industrial harbour located in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, and compares this knowledge with public consultation opportunities offered throughout the project lifecycle, including during assessment and after project approval. The findings highlight a misalignment between community knowledge of environmental change, which is acquired largely after impacts become apparent, and the public participation opportunities afforded through EIA, which generally occur before construction or dredging is undertaken.     

数字海洋环境信息应用保障系统设计与实现

介绍了数字海洋技术的研究现状,分析了目前存在的问题,并进行了系统设计,包括信息收集与更新、信息综合管理、信息三维可视化和全球电子海图四个分系统。实现海洋环境信息的三维数字化显示与管理、综合分析应用,构建更加全面、丰富的海洋环境数字地球,有利于加速海洋环境信息建设,形成与海洋强国战略相适应的海洋环境信息保障体系。     

春、夏季惠州市海水环境质量及其有机污染评价

为加强惠州市海洋生态环境保护工作,并为其提供科学依据,文章利用2016年春季和夏季惠州市海洋环境综合调查数据,选取溶解氧、化学需氧量、无机氮和活性磷酸盐4个环境因子,分析其近岸海域和海洋基本功能区的海水环境质量,并评价海水有机污染状况。研究结果表明:春季近岸海域海水环境质量优于夏季,无机氮和活性磷酸盐为主要超标因子;港口航运区海水环境质量良好,其他功能区均有环境因子超标现象;近岸海域受到有机污染,旅游休闲娱乐区在2个季节均受到有机污染;海水环境尚未对海洋生物产生影响。     

A coastal management program for channels located in backbarrier systems

Management of the interactions between social/economic interests and the coastal environment requires practical, interdisciplinary assessment techniques. Backbarrier systems are critical natural resources that provide both economic and social benefits. Activities such as aquaculture, fishing, shipping and port activities, sediment mining, salt extraction, and tourism all take place in these ecosystems but are often not compatible with each other. Therefore, a program to manage such a system must congregate many different types of activities and stakeholders with potentially conflicting interests. In this paper, we develop a proposed coastal management program (CMP), based on the driving-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework and the integrated coastal management (ICM) cycle, for the management of channels located in backbarrier systems subject to dredging operations. The conceptual model involves the application of regional sediment management (RSM) actions and is applied to a case study, Faro Channel, located in the Ria Formosa backbarrier system in Algarve, Portugal. The CMP provides results on the interactivity between scientists, stakeholders, and decision-makers, by defining and clarifying the economic and environmental aspects of decision-making processes through the utilisation and measurement of local coastal indicators. The proposed CMP proved to be a useful tool in the definition of coastal management initiatives for channels inside backbarrier systems, since it identified management problems and allowed management solutions to be formulated. The CMP could be used within a broader ICM program but would also be effective when used on its own.     

The Norwegian plan for integrated ecosystem-based management of the marine environment in the Norwegian Sea

A White Paper on a new integrated management plan for the Norwegian Sea was launched by the Norwegian government in May 2009. Following international guidelines for ecosystem-based management, the plan provides an overall framework for managing all human activities (mainly oil and gas industry, fishing, and shipping) in the area to ensure the continued production and function of the ecosystem. The plan is based on an assessment of the present and projected future impact of human activities and of the interactions between them, taking into account deficits in current knowledge of ecosystem state and dynamics. Areas of particular value in terms of biodiversity or biological production were identified. In each of these valuable areas, any access for substantial human activity is to be carefully managed. To monitor the overall development of the Norwegian Sea, a set of indicators with associated environmental quality objectives have been selected. The approach used builds upon experience gained from the first integrated Norwegian management plan for a marine area, the Barents Sea–Lofoten region, developed in 2002–2006. Work towards a Norwegian management plan for the North Sea, including Skagerrak, was initiated in 2009.     

On the measurement of socioeconomic benefits of integrated coastal management (ICM): Application to Xiamen,China

We develop a systematic approach for the measurement of overall socioeconomic benefits associated with an integrated coastal management (ICM) program. The analytical framework includes multiple marine industry sectors (e.g., ocean shipping and commercial fisheries) as well as environmental sectors (e.g., coastal erosion). The net benefit measure captures both economic and environmental effects. We apply our analytical model to Xiamen, China, using empirical data from 1992 to 2001. Results of the case study show that the implementation of ICM program in Xiamen has led to a significant increase (over 40%) in annual socioeconomic benefit from its marine sectors. Thus, the Xiamen ICM program has been effective in achieving sustainable development.     

A procedural framework for robust environmental management of deep-sea mining projects using a conceptual model

Robust environmental management of deep-sea mining projects must be integrated into the planning and execution of mining operations, and developed concurrently. It should follow a framework indicating the environmental management-related activities necessary at each project phase, and their interrelationships. An environmental management framework with this purpose is presented in this paper; it facilitates the development of environmental information and decision-making throughout the phases of a mining project. It is based environmental management frameworks used in allied industries, but adjusted for unique characteristics of deep-sea mining. It defines the gathering and synthesis of information and its use in decision-making, and employs a conceptual model as a growing repository of claim-specific information. The environmental management activities at each phase have been designed to enable the implementation of the precautionary approach in decision making, while facilitating review of adaptive management measures to improve environmental management as the quantity and quality of data increases and technologies are honed. This framework will ensure fairness and uniformity in the application of environmental standards, assist the regulator in its requirements to protect the environment, and benefit contractors and financiers by reducing uncertainty in the process.     

How robust is the environmental impact assessment process in South Australia? Behind the scenes of the Adelaide seawater desalination project

This work tests the robustness of policies and procedures designed to protect South Australia's marine environment through a case study of the Adelaide Desalination Plant—the most expensive (∼A$1.8 billion) infrastructure project in South Australia's history. Although this project has been subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)—the highest level of assessment in Australia—on inspection it appears that the current operating licence for the desalination brine discharge breaches Government approval conditions and ignores the collective expert scientific advice of the project's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Hence, the EIA process in South Australia for this project is flawed. Improvements could be made to the South Australian system by including the requirements for operating licences as an integral part of the EIA.     

海洋资源环境超载红线区划定方法研究

提出采用海洋资源环境承载综合指数法划定海洋资源环境超载红线区的方法。通过分析我国海洋管理分区体系现状,提出海洋资源环境超载红线区是海洋生态红线区的重要组成部分。以压力-承压-调节力为框架,建立海洋资源环境超载红线区评价指标体系和综合评价方法,给出指标标准值、权重、选择性与空间属性的确定原则,以盘锦市管辖海域为案例区,划定了海洋资源环境超载红线区。结果表明,具有调节系数的资源环境承载综合指数法较为科学地划定了案例区的资源环境超载红线区,盘锦海域超载红线区的面积占盘锦管辖海域面积的58.3%,主要分布在盘锦港口航运区、辽滨工业与城镇用海区和辽东湾农渔业区等海洋功能区内。     

Environmental management of clastic coastal depositional environments: inferences from an Australian geomorphic database

Simple, conceptual geomorphic models can assist environmental managers in making informed decisions regarding management of the coast at continental and regional scales. This basic information, detected from aerial photographs and/or satellite images, can be used to ascertain the relative significance of several common environmental issues, including: sediment trapping efficiency, turbidity, water circulation, and habitat change due to sedimentation for different types of clastic coastal depositional environments. The classification of 780 Australian clastic coastal depositional environments based on their geomorphology is used to derive a coastal regionalisation, comprised of a distinctive suite of environments for each region. Because of the close link between the relative influence of waves and tides and the geomorphology of clastic coastal depositional environments, a basic understanding of the broad geomorphic and sedimentary characteristics by environmental managers will assist them in ascertaining the relative significance of environmental issues in each region. The benefit of this approach is that it provides guidance in tailoring management schemes differently for each region, resulting in more effective and efficient treatment of these issues.     

The future development of sea use management in Europe

Sea use management originated largely in Europe, initially along the lines of individual use groups. Before the middle of the present century these included navigation, strategic uses, fisheries and marine science. Subsequently the major uses expanded and diversified. The organisations involved and their geographical spheres of influence may be classified into local and national, regional and global categories. Management organisations share basic objectives including safety, allocation, environmental control, research and regional development. Technical management functions are concerned with interactions between activities and the environment and include technological, environmental, social and information management groups. General management includes co-ordination of technical management, organisational aspects and regional considerations including policy aspects.     

Ship sources of ambient noise

The rapid increase in world shipping results in an increase in low-frequency ambient noise at an average rate of about 1/2 dB per year. During the past 10 years there has been a virtual revolution in the sizes and speeds of merchant ships, resulting in significant increases in the noise radiated by the average ship. This trend is continuing. In this paper, the trends in world merchant shipping will be presented, including important changes in propulsion plants as well as in numbers and sizes of ships. The need for radiated noise measurements of these new ship types will be stressed. Ambient noise is also dependent on the geographical distribution of shipping. The LRAPP-sponsored program to establish standard shipping distributions for the Northern Hemisphere will be discussed, and the reliability of current information will be assessed.     

基于生态系统的挪威海海洋环境综合管理计划

为推动我国国土空间规划新视角下的海洋空间规划实践,提升我国海洋综合管理水平,文章概述基于生态系统的挪威海海洋环境综合管理计划的主要内容,并重点分析挪威海的海洋环境空间管理措施。研究结果表明:挪威海海洋环境综合管理计划是基于生态系统的海洋空间规划,建立在良好的海洋环境状况和海洋生物多样性与其栖息地的保护基础之上,以可持续利用海洋资源来实现海洋产业的价值创造与生态系统服务供给;该管理计划制定一系列海洋环境保护措施和人类活动空间管理措施,以实现挪威海海洋环境的有效保护和海洋经济产业的有效管理;挪威海海洋空间规划的发展可为我国国土空间规划涉海内容的编制、海洋资源的可持续利用与海洋产业的快速健康发展提供重要参考。     

Examination of policies and MEAs commitment by SIDS for sustainable management of the Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea hosts twenty-seven small island developing states (SIDS), some of which utilise their marine resources found in the Caribbean Sea for economic gains. Many of the economic activities such as tourism, shipping and industrial development are currently incompatible with a healthy and sustainable marine environment. Sewage, agricultural effluents and hydrocarbon pollution resulting from these economic activities have led to degradation of this large marine ecosystem. In an effort to address these issues; policies, programmes and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) were initiated in order to regionalise the response efforts. These include efforts such the Cartagena Convention, the integrated watershed and coastal area management (IWCAM) initiative and pollution assessment among others. This paper reviews the regional responses by the SIDS and other agencies in dealing with pollution from land and marine-based activities and biodiversity loss via these initiatives.