4 October 2016Google.org today announced that AUSMEPA’s Port Emissions Portal has been selected as one of ten finalists in the 2016 Google Impact Challenge in Australia, which awards funding to Australian non-profit innovators with big ideas for a better world.
AUSMEPA’s project, the Port Emissions Portal, addresses the current lack
of essential ship emissions data for the shipping industry. Utilising satellite
tracking and a big data approach, the platform will enable ports and their
stakeholders to measure air quality and changing air patterns throughout the
port environs.
“AUSMEPA’s clear mandate is to protect Australia’s maritime environment,
and one of the biggest challenges we are facing is climate change. This is not
just a local issue, however action has to start at a local level. With
shipping’s exclusion from the COP21 global agreement on the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions, we are taking a leading role in providing the
industry with effective solutions” said AUSMEPA Chairman, Capt Warwick Norman.
Starting in Australia and scaling up to over 170 countries, AUSMEPA’s
port emissions portal plans to connect over 3,000 ports and improve the
knowledge of air emissions associated with shipping activities in port.
As part of an international community of MEPAs (Marine Environment
Protection Associations) Capt Norman said "AUSMEPA’s plan was to work with their
international counterparts to provide a locally-initiated, global solution to
shipping’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions."
AUSMEPA could be one of four organisations to receive a $750,000 grant
to further to assist in developing the port emissions portal. The six
additional finalists will receive $250,000.
A judging panel will select three winners, and a fourth will be selected
based on public voting, which is open from 4 – 25 October via https://impactchallenge.
Alan Noble, Google Australia’s Director of Engineering, said “We know
good ideas combined with technology can help to solve some of the world’s
biggest challenges. Ten Australian non-for-profits have been selected as
finalists in the latest round of the Google Impact Challenge for their
outstanding ideas to use technology to make an impact on important causes.”
AUSMEPA are encouraging all maritime industry stakeholders around the
world to support their initiative and vote for increased transparency and improved
knowledge of air emissions caused by shipping activity in ports.
Anyone can go online and vote in favour of the AUSMEPA project here
About AUSMEPA
The Australian Marine Environment Protection
Association (AUSMEPA) is dedicated to protecting Australia’s marine
environment, which hosts an abundance of precious marine resources and an array
of fine beaches.
AUSMEPA is a not-for-profit supported by
leading maritime companies, individuals and organisations. Funds raised are
used to create no-cost, innovative and practical educational resources for
schools, seafarers and other users of the marine environment.
At the
forefront of tackling issues that directly affect Australia’s marine
environment, AUSMEPA are partnering with maritime vetting specialists RightShip
to develop a ‘port emissions portal’. This platform will provide transparent
data on shipping emissions by monitoring the air quality and changing air patterns
in port environs.
AUSMEPA
is a founding member of the International Association of Marine Environment
Protection Associations (INTERMEPA) www.intermepa.org
AUSMEPA
Chairman, Captain Warwick Norman, was also elected as Chairman of INTERMEPA in
June 2016.
For further information
Julie Nash - Executive Officer
0412 876
109
www.ausmepa.org
www.ausmepa.org.au
No comments:
Post a Comment