5th Dec 2019, 11:04 AM – Senate Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Air Pollution) Bill 2019 - Second Reading - Monitoring and standards

The majority voted against a motion adding the text below to the usual second reading motion, which is that the bill be read a second time (or, in other words, that the majority agree with the bill's main idea).

Motion text

At the end of the motion, add:

", but the Senate:

(1) notes that:

(a) shipping could produce as much as 17 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 if not mitigated;

(b) open-loop exhaust gas cleaning systems or scrubbers have been described as 'cheat devices' that enable compliance with sulphur-emission requirements while discharging contaminated washwater overboard;

(c) a range of jurisdictions including Belgium, China, Germany, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates and the United States have implemented restrictions on open-loop scrubbers; and

(d) without sulphur limits, ship pollution causes approximately 400 000 premature deaths from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease, and 14 million cases of childhood asthma each year; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) implement strict discharge standards, including appropriate independent monitoring, for any exhaust gas cleaning systems; and

(b) advocate through the International Maritime Organization for stronger standards to protect our marine environment."