GA Resolution: Ocean Noise Reduction

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION AT VOTE
Ocean Noise Reduction
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental| Industry affected: All Businesses | Proposed by:Imperium Anglorum

Whereas significant increases in the level of ocean noise have occurred over the last century due to the increasing use of oceanic sea routes, the expansion of navies, and fossil fuel exploration:

And whereas the oceans are international territory, meaning that protection thereof is a 'tragedy of the commons' issue which can only be solved by collective regulation:

And whereas it is the case that such noise,

massively reduces fish populations, thereby reducing catches, putting strain on fisheries and threatening many coastal fishing industries,

even when ambient, drowns out sonic communication, making it difficult for marine life to communicate food sources and locations, breed, etc. creating problems in survivability of adult specimens all whilst limiting marine life habitats,

can rupture swim bladders and kill zooplankton larvae, threatening the food sources of other populations along the food chain:

Now, therefore, be it enacted by this august and most excellent World Assembly, by and with the advice and consent of the Delegates and Members, in this present session assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Member nations shall require that all maritime propulsion systems built or retrofitted after the passage of this resolution (a) include the addition of sound mufflers and (b) comply with international regulations on marine propulsion noise. Ships possessing propulsion systems which do not comply to these requirements shall be assessed a fine, consistent with their noise output, to be included in docking fees.

The World Assembly Nautical Commission shall keep records of data gathered from seismic airburst surveys of the ocean floor. Where necessary to avoid 'free rider' issues, member nations are permitted to grant time-limited exclusive drilling rights to areas in which firms explore in exchange (amongst other things) for data recovered from such surveys. It may also make regulations referenced in section 1, cognisant of trade-offs between economic feasibility and associated reductions in ocean noise.

Member nations shall prohibit blast fishing and the oceanic testing of weapons of mass destruction.

Member nations are encouraged to:

refrain from the use of active military sonar outside of wartime,

reduce the geographic distribution of shipping lanes and take actions to reduce the geographic spread of shipping so as to increase the area of marine life habitats, and

take further actions to reduce the level of ocean noise.