Position paper on an Environmental Issue
Marine pollution through oil
Transportation of oil by sea makes up a large part of the international distribution of oil, but in case of a spill, the effects on the marine ecosystem are devastating. While the demand for oil and the consumption is continually rising, the safety measurements currently in place are not enough to avoid major damage to marine ecosystems.
One of the most devastating spills, the spilling of the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound, Alaska, still has enormous impacts on the local environment. Due to the colder climate, the oil has not been able to dissolve as quickly as it does in warmer waters, and large quantities of oil have sunk into the semi porous ground where oil-dissolving bacteria can no longer reach them. Since the Exxon Valdez incident took place in a very remote area, the equipment necessary for clean up could only be provided by helicopters, which took very long, giving the oil time to spread far. The case of Exxon Valdez has lead to several international agreements such as MARPOL 73/78 (short for marine pollution, Prevention of Pollution by Oil) and OPRC 90 (International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation 1990), introduced by the International Maritime Organization, which are aiming to improve both the safety of transporting vessels as well as the emergency preparedness in case of a spill. In the case of most spills however, simply cleaning up the oiled areas is not sufficient, as much of the ecosystem will not recover from the impacts of being oiled.
Marine pollution through oil
Transportation of oil by sea makes up a large part of the international distribution of oil, but in case of a spill, the effects on the marine ecosystem are devastating. While the demand for oil and the consumption is continually rising, the safety measurements currently in place are not enough to avoid major damage to marine ecosystems.
One of the most devastating spills, the spilling of the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound, Alaska, still has enormous impacts on the local environment. Due to the colder climate, the oil has not been able to dissolve as quickly as it does in warmer waters, and large quantities of oil have sunk into the semi porous ground where oil-dissolving bacteria can no longer reach them. Since the Exxon Valdez incident took place in a very remote area, the equipment necessary for clean up could only be provided by helicopters, which took very long, giving the oil time to spread far. The case of Exxon Valdez has lead to several international agreements such as MARPOL 73/78 (short for marine pollution, Prevention of Pollution by Oil) and OPRC 90 (International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation 1990), introduced by the International Maritime Organization, which are aiming to improve both the safety of transporting vessels as well as the emergency preparedness in case of a spill. In the case of most spills however, simply cleaning up the oiled areas is not sufficient, as much of the ecosystem will not recover from the impacts of being oiled.