Focus on Climate Change on World Maritime Day

by Pramod DE SILVA

World Maritime Day falls on Sept.24

Our planet is known as the Earth, but someone said it should be named 'Ocean'. A valid argument, since more than 75 per cent of the planet is covered in water. Life as we know it would not thrive without water, but our world will also grind to a halt if the oceans were not there. They not only sustain us, but also act as a conduit for commerce and trade among nations.

The oceans are far more important than we think.

The 2009 edition of the World Maritime Day will be celebrated at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on Thursday, September 24 under the theme; "Climate Change: a challenge for IMO too".

Climate Change can lead to an unprecedented disaster for the world's seas and people. A sea level rise of even a few inches will spell doom for some islands and coastal communities, while impacting marine life and maritime activity. This is why it is important to focus on Climate Change not just from the land perspective. Over the last few years, there has been a major surge in the spread of public understanding on the subject of Climate Change, particularly in respect of human actions being a cause for changes in the earth's climate system.

The Organization adopted "Climate Change - a challenge for IMO too" as the theme for the 2009 World Maritime Day, in recognition of the intense focus this topic is receiving.

Many maritime organisations and unions will hold special activities and events ranging from symposiums to luncheons to celebrate this day. In Sri Lanka, the National Aquatic Resources Agency and the shipping community will be involved in activities held to mark the occasion.

The event's date varies by year and country but it is always on the last week of September. The day is used to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment. The importance of the IMO's work is also highlighted.

World Maritime Day was first held on March 17, 1978 to mark the date of the IMO Convention's entry into force in 1958. At that time, the organization had 21 member states. It now has about 167 member states and three associate members.

The United Nations (UN) created World Maritime Day to celebrate the international maritime industry's contribution towards the world's economy, especially in shipping.

The IMO has established an ambitious action plan to address emissions from international shipping and is working towards regulating shipping at the global level and contributing to the deceleration of Climate Change.

Among these measures is a package of technical and operational measures leading to an Energy Efficiency Design Index for new ships; a Ship Energy Management Plan for new and existing ships; and an Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator for existing ships.

It was estimated that ships engaged in international trade and passenger transport in 2007 contributed about 2.7 per cent of the world's Carbon Dioxide emissions. If no mechanism is introduced to curb such emissions from international shipping, the emissions may increase by between 150 and 250 percent by the year 2050 due to the growth in international seaborne trade.

Marine pollution is another aspect that the IMO is focusing attention on.

Ships discharge waste material to the sea, not to mention effluents from coastal communities and industries located on the coast. Every year, major oil spills affect the oceans and marine life.

Uncontrolled fishing also poses a threat to marine life, as some species are being hunted to extinction. Some of the methods used by trawlers and ships to catch fish also damage the ocean bed and other marine life such as corals. This is another challenge for those intending to save the world's oceans from further damage.

Sri Lankans should be especially concerned about the ocean that surrounds them. The island of Sri Lanka is located close to one of the busiest sea lanes in the world. The Colombo Port is among the busiest ports in the world, though a considerable number of ships bypass Colombo on their way to Singapore or the Gulf. The envisaged Hambantota Port will help attract some of these to Sri Lanka for repairs, supplies and transshipment. However, Sri Lanka should be ready to face environmental and social challenges that will emerge as a result of increased sea traffic.

Coastal pollution is rife in certain areas. The destruction of mangroves is another serious problem. The 2004 tsunami conclusively proved that areas without mangroves are more susceptible to destruction. The Marine Pollution Prevention Authority and the Coast Conservation Department have a great role to play with regard to these issues.

Sri Lanka urgently needs a fully-fledged Coast Guard Service to protect and patrol its ocean area. The Navy alone cannot be called on to perform this task. We are poised to inherit an ocean area at least 20 times bigger than the previously allotted area under global maritime conventions.

This is a great challenge for a small island. From harnessing fishing resources to regulating shipping traffic, there are many aspects to consider.

The World Maritime Day is thus a good opportunity to contemplate on these issues and evolve a comprehensive action plan. Our authorities could study other countries' approach towards these problems and issues for guidance.

Therefore, this year's theme on 'Climate Change' is especially appropriate for islands like Sri Lanka and neighbouring Maldives, given our close affinity to the ocean.