1. Full citation.
"Stronger Rules to Govern Dumping of Wastes at Sea." Stronger Rules to Govern Dumping of Wastes at Sea. Environment News Service, 10 Mar. 2006. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
2. Where did/does the author work, what else has s/he written about, and what are her/his credentials? (This question only has to be answered once for Vogel.)
Not applicable (no author mentioned)
3. What are the topics of the text?
A new and more protective set of international rules governing the dumping of wastes at sea will take effect March 24. Based on the precautionary principle, the new rules also include the principle that the polluter must pay for damages.
4. What is the main argument of the text?
For the first time, a maritime treaty will govern storage of wastes in the seabed, as well as the abandonment, or toppling, of offshore installations.
5. Describe at least three ways that the argument is supported.
While the United States is a Party to the London Convention, it has not ratified the 1996 Protocol. The 1996 Protocol prohibits dumping at sea, except for materials on an approved list. This contrasts with the 1972 Convention which permitted dumping of wastes at sea, except for those materials on a banned list.
The protocol introduces the precautionary approach, requiring that "appropriate preventative measures are taken when there is reason to believe that wastes or other matter introduced into the marine environment are likely to cause harm even when there is no conclusive evidence to prove a causal relation between inputs and their effects."
The incineration of wastes at sea was initially permitted under the 1972 London Convention, but this practice was ended in 1991 - incineration of wastes is specifically prohibited by the 1996 Protocol.
6. What three quotes capture the message of the text?
IMO Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos welcomed Mexico's ratification by emphasizing that for the first time the precautionary principle will be applied to marine pollution.
The protocol enshrines the idea that "the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of pollution," and it emphasizes that Parties should ensure that the protocol should not result in pollution being transferred from one part of the environment to another.
"Stronger Rules to Govern Dumping of Wastes at Sea." Stronger Rules to Govern Dumping of Wastes at Sea. Environment News Service, 10 Mar. 2006. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
2. Where did/does the author work, what else has s/he written about, and what are her/his credentials? (This question only has to be answered once for Vogel.)
Not applicable (no author mentioned)
3. What are the topics of the text?
A new and more protective set of international rules governing the dumping of wastes at sea will take effect March 24. Based on the precautionary principle, the new rules also include the principle that the polluter must pay for damages.
4. What is the main argument of the text?
For the first time, a maritime treaty will govern storage of wastes in the seabed, as well as the abandonment, or toppling, of offshore installations.
5. Describe at least three ways that the argument is supported.
6. What three quotes capture the message of the text?
7. What three questions about environmental risk and precaution does this article leave you with?