Download - Royal Australian Navy

05.
Balancing Defence Training and Operational Needs
with Environmental Protection
Colin Trinder and Commander Steve Cole, RANR
The conduct of defence activities in the marine environment has both positive and
negative impacts. Through the conduct of training, operations and research, the
Department of Defence has been responsible for gathering much of the knowledge we
now have about the sea. Looking from a historical perspective, the great voyages of
exploration and discovery, probing the depth of the oceans, our knowledge of marine
biology and the physical processes of the sea, all have their genesis in the activities
of the military.
In Australia, Defence makes significant practical contributions to positive environmental,
economic and social outcomes affecting the marine environment — through fisheries
protection, maintenance of quarantine barriers, search and rescue efforts, charting
for safe navigation and research.
On the other hand, the military forces of the world have, at times, also been responsible
for serious environmental impacts. Adverse impacts have generally been unavoidable,
resulting from accidents, acts of war, or due to a lack of knowledge. In an Australian
context, overall, the contribution of Defence to adverse environmental outcomes in
the marine environment has been relatively small. However, despite the low risk, the
expectations of interest groups, regulators and the community regarding Defence’s
environmental performance continue to rise.
Defence clearly recognises that this is a challenge. Ensuring that people remain
confident that the conduct of military training is not at the same time compromising the
ecological integrity of the marine environment is critically important. This means that
Defence must remain vigilant to ensure serious incidents, such as an oil or chemical
spill, that can lead to serious environmental impacts do not also compromise confidence
in the community about our overall performance as an environmental steward. Such an
outcome could erode access to some areas for Defence training and lead to increasing
inflexibility of the regulation of activities by external agencies. Recognising that
Defence relies heavily on training areas in environmentally sensitive locations, such
as Shoalwater Bay in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, makes it doubly important
to demonstrate a clear understanding of environmental issues, a robust approach to
managing impacts and constant vigilance in demonstrating best practice.
In recent years, steps have been taken to ensure that Australia’s modern warships
are either equipped with systems that minimise environmental impacts or are moving
rapidly in that direction. Systems, such as those for managing wastewater, are now
designed to minimise pollution from the outset, and are complemented by impact and