Indicate which actions have been carried out to implement this Resolution :
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Policy influencing/advocacy
Scientific/technical activities
Describe the results/achievements of the actions taken:
Highlights include:
• Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) has been active mobilising stakeholders and influencing policy in the Baltic sea region, particularly, providing underwater noise inputs to the Baltic Sea Action Plan of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), through joint NGO Baltic Shadow Plan 2020, as well as organizing an online workshop for NGOs from 8 countries that has been very useful and good basis for further joint work (and a useful example to other regions).
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has also been actively engaged in the IMO processes, including conducting outreach to governments to support and contribute to the revision of the 2014 IMO Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater Noise from Commercial Shipping to Address Adverse Impacts on Marine Life (circular MEPC.1/Circ.833).
• The revision of the IMO guidelines have been added to the IMO work programme under the leadership of the Government of Canada, who is now working with international partners at IMO to revise the guidelines (an action it has also registered as an SDG14 Voluntary Commitment 2022-2023, #OceanAction48592). The objective is to review and propose revisions to the IMO guidelines on the reduction of underwater noise from marine shipping to improve their effectiveness and reflect current science and knowledge. Work output also includes a commitment to propose next steps on actions needed to reduce underwater noise from vessel traffic. The work has started in September 2022 and expected to be completed by January 2023. Canada is leading the Correspondence Group.
• IFAW is also contributing to the ongoing revision of these guidelines and participating and providing input through the sub-committee on Ship Design & Construction (SDC) as members of the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) Correspondence Group.
• Another relevant SDG14 Voluntary Commitment to reduce ocean noise pollution 2017-2025 (#OceanAction41469) has been championed by WCS, IUCN, IFAW, NRDC, Southall Environmental Associates Inc, Dr Douglas P.Nowacek from Duke University (an IUCN SSC Member) and SPREP. This has seen the establishment of the Global Alliance for Managing Ocean Noise (GAMEON) and in-depth situation analysis by WCS and Southall Environmental Associates Inc/University of California-Santa Cruz on “International policy, recommendations, actions and mitigation efforts of anthropogenic underwater noise” (Chou et al., 2021) that shall contribute to increasing awareness on underwater noise, and mitigation and management measures that are being considered to address the issue. In March 2022, GAMEON also run workshop on practical approaches for reducing ocean noise associated with offshore renewable energy development.
• In February 2022, WWF with Oregon State University and University of California, Santa Cruz published a comprehensive report “Protecting Blue Corridors, Challenges and Solutions for Migratory Whales Navigating International and National Seas” (that includes ocean noise issues).
• In May 2022, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) released its Technical Series #99 “Review of the Impacts of Anthropogenic Underwater Noise on Marine Biodiversity and Approaches to Manage and Mitigate them” (which is built on previous work under CBD on underwater noise and includes input from IUCN Secretariat, its Members / Commissions and partners and a chapter on 2016 IUCN guidelines for managing environmental risk associated with geophysical and other imaging surveys).
• A NOAA team from multiple regions and offices has worked together to develop an Ocean Noise Strategy to guide the agency towards more effective and comprehensive understanding and management of ocean noise impacts on marine life in the years 2016 to 2026.
• In October 2022, at an event within the European Parliament, IFAW published a report showcasing the conclusions of an economic analysis conducted by the independent research firm CE Delft, on the impacts of a speed reduction limit to 75% of design speed for all vessels navigating in European waters. This proposal, called “Blue Speeds”, represents a simple and effective way to reduce underwater noise from vessels, among other benefits.
• IUCN Secretariat, Members, Commission experts and partners have also raised attention of the Parties to international policy processes on the issues highlighted in this resolution (e.g. CBD, UN Ocean Conference/SDG14, BBNJ and others) and developing an issue brief.
• In 2022, IUCN Council and Commissions have initiated the discussion on the establishment of an expert group and guidance on the application of a precautionary principle as called for by the resolution, with the scope and roles to be further specified and agreed as soon as possible.
• Worth noting is also the work of OceanCare, a Swiss-based NGO (that collaborates with a number of IUCN Members such as IFAW, WWF and Commission experts), who has been particularly active on ocean noise and shipping-related issues, including raising awareness at the international policy fora and championing a new PSSA in the Mediterranean that is now backed by several regional governments and aims to protect cetaceans from underwater noise and ship strikes in the Mediterranean Cetacean Migration Corridor. OceanCare experience is very relevant and useful example in the context of advancing the work on this resolution.
What challenges/obstacles have been encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and how were they overcome :
• Even though underwater noise is recognised as a significant problem and there is increasing body of policy and management documents available, concrete actions to reduce it are still scarce (as reported by IUCN Members, e.g. in the Baltic sea region). Among the particular challenges is the lack of awareness of the underwater noise issues (among other more “visible” types of marine pollution) and greater stakeholder collaboration. A good example is that of the Coalition Clean Baltic through workshops to facilitate collaboration and Ocean Care, among others.
• Finding consensus amongst delegations and stakeholders around effective implementation of of the IMO guidelines and which measures should be mandated to reduce underwater noise form the shipping industry will be key.
• Securing resources to support various activities (beyond in-kind contribution of technical expertise and knowledge).
• Need to clarity the scope/role of the proposed expert panel in the context of the implementation of this resolution.
Briefly describe what future actions are needed for the implementation of this Resolution:
• Proposed revised IMO guidelines for underwater noise from marine shipping to help protect the marine environment are expected to be presented at the 9th meeting of the Ship Design and Construction Committee in January 2023. Canada is leading the Correspondence Group.
• Following the revision of the IMO guidelines, focus on what can be achieved as part of the ‘next steps’ process in the review, including identification of the specific elements that should be made mandatory to ensure widespread uptake and implementation (at least IFAW and encourage engagement from other parties).
• Overall, increasing knowledge on the underwater noise challenges and possible mitigation measures and facilitate collaboration among stakeholders;
• Finalize the IUCN global issue brief with input from the Commissions and interested Members as soon as possible;
Are these actions planned for yet:
