Pollution From Cruise Shipping In The Arctic

Cruise shipping in the Arctic region is a growing industry, yet there is no widespread discussion on how to deal efficiently with cruise ship garbage and sewage pollution in the Arctic region. Especially now that the industry is planning to bring larger passenger vessels through the Arctic region, one of the last pristine natural ecosystems in the world, waste management thus becomes a pressing issue. Canada has been lauded for its stringent regulations regarding oil spills and discharges. With the upcoming increase in cruise ship operations in the Canadian Arctic, it is of particular interest to develop an in-depth analysis of the regulatory system, currently in place in Canada, for garbage and sewage discharge management from passenger vessels. The research focused on the analysis of the relevant international regulations and Canadian legislation, aimed at the prevention of pollution applicable to cruise shipping. Scholarly articles, international and national legislation, reports and technical guidelines, and cases of marine incidents were collected and analyzed in order to provide a detailed study of the pros and cons of current Canadian environmental regulations in the Arctic region. In addition, suggestions for strengthening the regulatory system and for application of measures to protect this environment are provided. The results of the research describe the strengths and weaknesses of Canadian legislation while contrasting it with international regulations in place. Potential gaps and challenges include a lack of capacity, lack of infrastructure, information gaps, and lack of binding regulations and administrative body. Suggestions are provided in order to achieve a more sustainable management of tourism activities in the Arctic region. Some of the main recommendations to aid in the mitigation of negative impacts to the Arctic environment are establishing clear and stringent regulations for the management of sewage and grey water, establishing a governing authority, creating a cruise tax and certification scheme and including local communities in the environmental protection system. In conclusion, the Canadian legislation for the pollution prevention of Arctic waters from cruising activities is going in the right direction but it’s likely insufficient for the upcoming needs of the projected increase of cruise shipping in the Arctic...