The Flame's new Common Ground series focuses on the issues uniting us in the energy transition. In today's article, Sea Shepherd Australia shares the reasons for its stance. Tomorrow, look out for the view from the Blue Energy Futures Lab at UOW
Sea Shepherd is one the world's most respected defenders of the ocean, so many local environmentalists have looked to the organisation for leadership in the offshore wind debate.
John Corker, a Sea Shepherd Australia (SSA) National Advisory Panel member, said that after years of research, considering its policy position and making different submissions to consultative processes around the country, Sea Shepherd Australia (SSA) believes the need for research is now urgent.
“Sea Shepherd Australia starts from a position that our changing climate is one of the greatest planetary challenges currently being faced, and which impacts all species,” John said.
“On balance, SSAU is prepared to support the use of technologies and methods of OSW construction and operation that avoid and/or minimise adverse impacts on marine life as well as birds and bats transiting the OSW areas but this must be carefully considered on a site by site basis.
“SSA has made submissions to a number of the consultative processes around the country and each one differs based on local circumstances and concerns.
“For the Illawarra we noted in our submission that the Australian East Coast Migration Corridor has been recognised as an important marine mammal area for the Humpback whale and other marine species. The potential whale migration path through this proposed zone is considerable.”
Sea Shepherd Australia is concerned about the impact of underwater cables and noise.
John said: “On an assumption of floating wind turbines with catenary mooring lines being the preferred installation method in the Illawarra, there is likely to be a considerable network of lengthy underwater cables and lines and there is no research about what might happen to whales that might encounter this network, or their behaviour to seek to avoid this structure in their path. The effect of underwater noise is also an issue.
“The need for research about this is urgent particularly as floating technology has not yet been deployed anywhere else in the world at commercial scale.”
SSA’s call for research is echoed locally by groups including Surfers for Climate, Good for the Gong and Responsible Future (Illawarra Chapter). These groups represent residents both for and against offshore turbines, but all agree: we need more research.
This common goal went unnoticed in divisive times last year, but 2024 has brought fresh hope for constructive conversations. New groups have formed outside of traditional politics and their leaders say they’re eager to engage. For while methods to achieve the energy transition may differ, everyone loves our home between the mountains and the sea, and most people are simply driven by a desire to protect it.
While the Illawarra is still awaiting a zoning decision from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, John emphasised that the process is only just beginning.
“It is important to recognise that in Australia that the time that will be taken to establish an OSW farm in Australia is estimated to be 9-11 years and it is an iterative process of declarations, feasibility licences, environmental approval processes and final licences before any work can go ahead. We are in the market development phase at the moment, not the project development phase.”
Sea Shepherd Australia supports principles for international action on the environment established more than 20 years ago at a UN conference in Brazil.
John said: “We are strong proponents of the Precautionary Principle found in Principle 15 of the 1992 United Nations “Rio Declaration on Environment and Development” and in Australian law in s 3A(b) of the EPBC Act that states: '3A(b): if there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation.'
“So we need more scientific certainty.”
For more information on Sea Shepherd Australia, visit its website.
Read more about local calls for more research:
