Sustainability

The Mariana Trench in the western Pacific runs for about 2,500km and extends down to 10,994m US scientists have mapped the deepest part of the world's oceans in greater detail than ever before.The Mariana Trench in the western Pacific runs for about 2,500km and extends down to 10,994m.This measurement for the deepest point - known as Challenger Deep - is arguably the most precise yet.The survey, conducted by the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (CCOM), was completed to help determine the exact extent of US waters in the region."We mapped the entire trench, from its northern end at Dutton Ridge, all the way to where it becomes the Yap Trench in the south," explained Dr Jim Gardner from CCOM, which is based at the University of New Hampshire."We used a multibeam echosounder mounted on a US Navy hydrographic ship. This instrument allows you to map a swath of soundings perpendicular to the line of travel of the ship. It's like mowing the grass. And we were able to map the trench at a 100m resolution," he told BBC News.The distance to the bottom of Challenger Deep has an error associated with it of about plus or minus 40m.The figure...

A new era of responsibility for shipping companies Singapore Stock Exchange ("SGX") has introduced a Sustainability Reporting Guide (the "Guide") for its listed shipping companies. This follows a public consultation, issued in August 2010 that received widespread attention and positive feedback in support of disclosure and accountability for operating and developing businesses in a sustainable manner. Sustainability reports may be part of the annual report of the issuer or standalone reports and will be issued on a voluntary basis.It has long been recognised that the way businesses operate can have long terms effects on the environment and society. More recently concerns about climate change, biodiversity, social and environmental risks have been heightened by crises and natural disasters. End customers demand that suppliers behave responsibly. SGX, as a responsible Exchange with global reach, has responded with a Guide for listed companies. This guide is relevant for all issuers who operate in industries that are susceptible to environmental risks.Within the Guide, the Policy Statement sets out the principles and the Questions and Answers guide listed companies in extending their reporting beyond financial governance to sustainability aspects. A more holistic reporting will be achieved, with companies reporting their financials as well as the...

Marking the World Oceans Day on June 8 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on all governments and peoples to play their part to ensure that the world's oceans are protected for future generations, warning that they face major threats in the years ahead.Ban, in a statement issued to mark World Oceans Day, outlined what he called "many severe challenges related to oceans."World Oceans Day, which falls on Wednesday, is being celebrated around the world. ' "These range from depleted fishery resources, the impacts of climate change and the deterioration of the marine environment to maritime safety and security, labor conditions for seafarers and the increasingly important issue of migration by sea," he said."All activities and policies related to oceans and the marine environment need to acknowledge and incorporate the three pillars of sustainable development: environmental, social and economic," he said. "Only then can we achieve the development objectives set by the international community.""I urge governments and all sectors of society to embrace our individual and collective responsibility to protect the marine environment and manage its resources in a sustainable manner for present and future generations," he said.The world's oceans, which account for about 70 percent of the Earth's...

Aims to create a socially and environmentally responsible maritime sector Some of the biggest names in shipping today called on the industry to take far-reaching action to create a maritime sector which is socially and environmentally responsible and profitable.Members of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, a global coalition drawn from across the sector, launched a Case for Action analysing the global trends which will shape the future of shipping, and announced: "Our goal is to transform the global shipping industry and the wider maritime sector, establishing a new, sustainable approach as the norm."They called on industry leaders to:-create a shared vision of how the industry should develop over the next 30 years;- prepare for greater scrutiny and demands from customers and society with regard to social and environmental performance;- build and convert ships to the highest standards of energy efficiency in anticipation of high and volatile fuel prices and demands for low-carbon performance;- drive the development of co-ordinated, progressive legislation that rewards sustainability;- develop innovative business models that encourage long-term investment and take into account social and environmental obligations.Soren Stig Nielsen, Head of Sustainability, Maersk Line, said: "By creating a shared vision for sustainable growth, we can plot a new ambitious...