HELCOM - 13-та зустріч Групи зі сталого ведення сільського господарства

On the 29 of June, OceanCare, Coalition Clean Baltic and BUND Friends of the Earth Germany, with the co-sponsorship of Germany and Switzerland, hosted the side event "Reduce Ocean Noise and Save Our Ocean" on ocean noise prevention and mitigation at the Ocean Base Camp, Marina building at Parque das Nações (Passeio Adamastor, Edifício Nau, L41, 2º piso, 1990-007 Lisbon) from 11:30 to 12:30 GMT during the UN Ocean Conference, in Lisbon, Portugal.

The event was also co-Funded by the EU Life Programme of the European Union.

Background
The ocean is facing an unprecedented crisis caused by a wide range of transboundary pollutants, including underwater noise pollution. Noise emissions, which can be both ‘continuous noise’ typically generated by commercial shipping and ‘impulsive noise’ produced by hydrocarbon exploration- i.e., using seismic airguns- as well as by industrial and military activities. Reducing noise emissions is simple: prevent, mitigate, and reduce activities that emit underwater noise, which also results in other environmental benefits such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction.

SIDE EVENT
This side event presented and discussed the multi-environmental benefits of noise prevention and mitigation measures from shipping and the oil & gas sector, including a discussion on how a ban on new oil and gas exploration and slow steaming contributes to lower GHG emissions, giving specific context to different concepts for a protective status of sea areas.


Provisional Agenda
(Refreshments provided)
11:30-11:35 Welcome from the co-sponsor Germany
(Lilian Busse, German environment Agency - UBA)
11:35-11:45 Why we need to reduce ocean noise - Download PDF
(Bettina Taylor, BUND Friends of the Earth Germany)
11:45-11:55 Noise pollution from shipping – a continuous threat - Download PDF
(Sharon Livermore, IFAW)
11:55-12:05 One solution: area-based noise reduction measures - Download PDF
(Carlos Bravo, OceanCare)
12:05-12:25 Panel discussion with representatives of Sweden, and IMO as well as industry and civil society:

Moderator: Nils Höglund, Coalition Clean Baltic - CCB
Panelists:
- Fredrik Haag, International Maritime Organization - IMO
- Bev Mackenzie, BIMCO
- Mattias Rust, Swedish Ministry of Infrastructure and transports
- Carlos Bravo, OceanCare

12.25-12:30 Closing remarks from the co-sponsor Switzerland
(Martin Krebs, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs - FDFA)

Related resources & documents
- Presentations (PDF)
- Invitation & Agenda (PDF)
- CCB´s article about the side event and underwater noise
- Research "Business implications in underwater noise pollution in the Baltic Sea & noise reduction" (June 2022)
- Concept note & agenda (PDF)
- How to get to the main venue
- Side events outside the main venue

Recording


Click here to watch the recording on YouTube.

Gallery
Credit: Inga Labutytė-Atkočaitienė


Directions
The side event venue was located 15 min. by walk from the UN Ocean Conference main venue.


Venue



Co-organized by:



Co-sponsored by Germany and Switzerland:



Co-funded by

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.