New Australian laws for ‘engineering’ the ocean must balance environment protection and responsible research

Sun, 6 Aug 2023 15:13:36 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/new-australian-laws-for-engineering-the-ocean-must-balance-environment-protection-and-responsible-research-209036>

"The Australian Labor government has introduced a bill to regulate “marine
geoengineering” – methods to combat climate change by intervening in the ocean
environment.

The bill would prohibit listed marine geoengineering activities without a
permit.

Scientists are already experimenting with ways to store more carbon in the
ocean or shield vulnerable ecosystems. They include ocean fertilisation and
marine cloud brightening. But these proposals are yet to be deployed beyond
small-scale outdoor tests. Further research is needed.

These technologies offer huge potential to combat climate change. But
large-scale marine geoengineering could also cause harm. Targeted laws are
needed to both enable crucial research and protect the marine environment. So
does the bill to amend the Sea Dumping Act strike the right balance?"

Cheers,
    *** Xanni ***

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