Girt by sea: understanding Australia’s maritime domains in a networked world

This study aims to provide the background, language and context necessary for an informed understanding of the challenges and dilemmas faced by those responsible for the efficacy of Australia’s maritime domain awareness system. Abstract Against a rapidly changing region dominated by the rise of China, India and, closer to home, Indonesia, Australia’s approaches to understanding its maritime domains will be influenced by strategic factors and diplomatic judgements as well as operational imperatives.  Australia’s alliance relationship with the United States and its relationships with regional neighbours may be expected to have a profound impact on the strength of the information sharing and interoperability regimes on which so much of Australia’s maritime domain awareness depends. The purpose of this paper is twofold.  First, it seeks to explain in plain English some of the principles, concepts and terms that maritime domain awareness practitioners grapple with on a daily basis.  Second, it points to a series of challenges that governments face in deciding how to spend scarce tax dollars to deliver a maritime domain awareness system that is necessary and sufficient for the protection and promotion of Australia’s national interests

Inland Navigation Technology \u2709 - Digital Technology Impact on Safety and Efficiency

This workshop discussed the impact of digital technology on inland navigation safety and efficiency from the combined perspective government agencies and waterway operators. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) described inland navigation Research & Development (R&D), related demonstration efforts, and Headquarters initiatives for safer, more reliable waterways and infrastructure. The US Coast Guard (USCG) addressed the latest developments in e-Navigation (e.g., electronic charts, AIS, and aidsto-navigation), and how these developments might affect inland waterways operations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) discussed PORTS (Physical Oceanographic RealTime System) and other activities. Representatives from the Towing Industry, led by the American Waterways Operators Technology Steering Group, described current/future needs, as well as ongoing/planned initiatives to meet challenges associated with projected future increases in inland commerce

MONALISA 2.0 and the sea traffic management - a concept creating the need for new maritime information standards and software solutions

Postprint (published version

The EU Climate Policy after the Climate Package and Copenhagen - Promises and Limits. Egmont Paper No. 38, September 2010

This paper aims to provide a global assessment of the European Union’s climate change policy after the Climate Package and Copenhagen. In order to do so, the paper firstly describes the climate threats for Europe as well as the birth and objectives of the EU climate and energy package adopted in 2009. Then, the different components of this package are highlighted: the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the obligations of the non-ETS sectors, the 20% renewable energy objective, the promotion of carbon capture and storage and the framework on environmental subsidies. Thirdly, the other EU climate policy legislations are examined, comprising: energy efficiency, the GHG emissions of cars, the GHG emissions of fuels, and the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan). Next, adaptation to climate change is discussed, before examining the international aspects of the EU actions after Copenhagen. As a way of conclusion, the paper assesses the EU climate policy throughout four main questions: What has the EU achieved until now? What will be the costs? What will be the impact on the European Union? And, is the EU action sufficient