Dear Madam, dear Sir,
You are cordially invited to attend a workshop
organised by European environmental NGOs active on shipping issues.
> Time: TUESDAY 27 MAY 2015 / 11:00 - 15:00
> Venue: European Parliament Information Office in
Greece
8 Leof. Amalias - 105 57 Athens
European ship owners own 40% of the world fleet and
Greece is the European Union’s largest ship owning Member State. Several
European policies target the environmental performance of shipping. This event
will create a forum to discuss environmentally sound practices related to
emissions, marine pollution and ship recycling as well as recent policy and
legislative developments at the EU level.
We will focus on the role ship owners need to play to
ensure the sustainable operation and management of their fleet, and the
policies the EU, and Greece in particular, need to implement to not only hold
ship owners accountable for substandard practices, but to also reward
responsible ship owners. European NGOs working on sustainable shipping,
European and Greek policy makers and industry representatives will share their
views on future challenges and opportunities for Europe’s maritime industry.
> Moderated by: Dionosis VITHOULKAS, journalist at
TO VIMA
> Language: Greek/English translation will be
provided
Agenda
11:00
Registration and refreshments
11:30
Opening - welcome reception
Welcome remarks:
Head of the European Parliament Office in Greece,
Leonidas ANTONAKOPOULOS
Opening notes:
Alternate Environment Minister, Yannis TSIRONIS
Alternate Shipping Minister, Theodoros DRITSAS (tbc)
Chairman of the Special Permanent Committee on Environmental
Protection of the Hellenic Parliament, Iro DIOTI
12:00 Issues at stake
Emissions: Sotiris RAPTIS, Transport &
Environment
Shipping emissions have increased by approximately
70% since 1990 and under current policies, shipping CO2 emissions are likely to
further increase by 50% to 250% by 2050, representing 6% to 14% of total global
emissions. While other sectors have started declining or are looking to peak
their emissions in 2020, none of the “business as usual” scenarios for shipping
foresee a decline in shipping emissions before 2050. Shipping is still the only
transport sector and one of the very few in the EU economy not contributing to
EU emissions reductions. The EU has promised measures for shipping emissions
three times since 2009 – will the newly adopted EU MRV system provide necessary
solutions? Is a 2030 reduction target realistic?
Recycling: Patrizia HEIDEGGER, NGO Shipbreaking
Platform
At the end of a ship’s operational life it is
dismantled to recover valuable steel. Problems however arise when end-of-life
vessels are broken down manually by untrained and unprotected workers on tidal
beaches. Dangerous working conditions lead to severe accidents and on a beach
it is impossible to contain pollutants. Greek ship owners top the list of
global dumpers that sell their end-of-life ships to substandard yards in South
Asia for dangerous and polluting dismantling. A new European regulation aims to
reverse this trend – will it be successful or are additional incentives
necessary? And what can ship owners already do today to ensure sustainable
end-of-life management?
Liability: Antidia CITORES, Surfrider Foundation
Numerous maritime disasters and their dramatic impact
on the marine environment have brought reaction from public opinion and the
judiciary. In 2012 and for the first time, ecological damage was recognized by
the French courts in the 'Erika' case. This decision marks a turning point in
environmental law. It reinforces the polluter pays principle and lays the
foundations for environmental liability, as established by European law. Still,
ecological disasters continue to occur as evidenced by recent catastrophes in
the Sundarbans (2014) and in the Canary Islands (2015). How can the legal basis
in order to recognize environmental liability with regard to the prevention and
remedying of environmental damage from maritime transport and offshore
activities be strengthened?
Marine pollution: Angele LAZOU DEAN, Greenpeace
Greece
With over 90% of all trade between countries being
carried by ships, and with 200.000 vessels plying their trade annually in the
Mediterranean alone, the shipping industry is a major contributor to the
oceans' pollution: accidental spills and operational discharges, dumbing
garbage and sewage, shipbreaking and carbon emissions are just some of the
impacts with which they threaten the health of our seas. Are international
conventions implemented in the most effective way? And how will the end of poor
shipping practices along with the creation of marine reserves bring back the
life to our oceans?
The role of Greek shipping: Nikos CHRYSOGELOS,
Representative of MedSOS and former member of the European Parliament
Greece, as leading EU maritime nation, can play a
significant role in the reduction of air emissions, the adoption
environmentally sound ship recycling, the use of renewable energy technology on
ships and energy-efficiency upgrading of existing vessels. At the same time,
special emphasis should be given in the revitalization of the shipbuilding and
ship repair sector through a “green ship” and “green shipping” strategy.
13:15
Coffee/tea break
13:30
Reactions & panel discussion
Short interventions by:
Alternate Environment Minister, Yannis TSIRONIS
Alternate Shipping Minister, Theodoros DRITSAS (tbc)
Member of the European Parliament, José Inácio FARIA
Member of the European Parliament, Stelios KOULOGLOU
Representative of HELMEPA (tbc)
Representative of Blue Planet Shipping Ltd.
Followed by a panel debate with the speakers and NGO
representatives.
14:45 The
Clean Shipping Index: a tool for the promotion of sustainable shipping, Sara
SKÖLD, Clean Shipping Network
14:55
Concluding remarks
Source: NGO shipbreaking platform. 27 May 2015
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