- Introduction and background
Referral of the inquiry
1.1On 30 November 2022, the Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP asked the Committee to inquire into and report on the 2009 and 2013 amendments to the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter,1972 (the London Protocol).
1.2On 23 January 2023, the Committee adopted an inquiry with the following terms of reference:
- the environmental benefits and impacts of exporting and importing carbon dioxide streams for the purpose of sub-seabed sequestration
- the environmental benefits and impacts of marine geoengineering activity, such as ocean fertilisation, for scientific research
- the international market for carbon dioxide streams and
- the interaction of the proposed amendments with greenhouse gas inventories and the regulatory and reporting systems.
Conduct of inquiry
1.3The Committee received 22 submissions and held one public hearing in Canberra on 26 May 2023. Details of submissions and the public hearing can be found in the appendices.
1.4The Committee expresses its appreciation to all the individuals and organisations who contributed to the inquiry.
Structure of the report
1.5This chapter contains background information about the Committee processes. Chapter two provides background on the London Protocol and the two amendments that are the subject of the inquiry. Chapter two also reviews the evidence received in the submissions and the public hearing, and contains the Committee Comment and recommendation.