EU: The EU is proposing to map the ocean floor, regulate building in the sea in costal areas and provide a warning system for tsunamis as part of a new maritime strategy.
In a Green Paper published yesterday, the European Commission also suggests reviewing the exclusion of people working in maritime sectors from EU labour and social legislation, a factor that played a key role in last year's Irish Ferries dispute.
It says the exclusion, which means ferry workers are not covered by minimum wage legislation and redundancy protection, should be reviewed in co-operation with the social partners. The paper makes the suggestion as part of a strategy to make maritime jobs more attractive for Europeans, who increasingly are not working in the sector.
The main goal of the Green Paper is to better co-ordinate EU and member state policies to boost economic growth and protect the environment in maritime areas. One of the ideas is a plan to create an "EU Atlas of the Sea" by mapping the ocean floor in Europe. Scientists, public authorities and the private sector could use the atlas to help with research projects and spatial planning in and around coastal areas. It could also include an inventory of underwater archaeology sites, which could be used as an educational tool for schools.
The paper cites the increasing importance of spatial planning in costal areas as economic activity moves offshore. Fish farms, renewable energy and tourism all fight for space along Europe's coasts and without some form of planning, investment decisions will be hampered by uncertainty, says the paper. It advises that a new EU spatial planning regime should be set up under the control of member states.
The paper pinpoints climate change as a key environmental challenge, particularly in the Arctic where pack ice has shrunk by 15 to 20 per cent in the past 30 years.
"If this is not addressed, arctic flora and fauna will suffer severe changes, as will the entire food chain from single-cell algae to fish and seals. There will be serious consequences for indigenous peoples . . . Half of Europe's wetlands are expected to disappear by 2020," it warns.
The paper identifies the shipping sector as a major source of pollution, emitting 157 million tonnes of CO2 in 2000, more than aviation emissions in the EU. These emissions need to be reduced and new technologies introduced to capture CO2.
It also proposes setting up an early warning system to guard against tsunamis. The Mediterranean and Iberian peninsula are susceptible to earthquakes and the development of this system would help states minimise the lead time to respond to natural disasters.