Environmental Risk Management in the Barents Sea: Contribution to a Scientific Based Approach for Defining Acceptance Criteria for Operational Activity in the Barents Sea

摘要

The Integrated Management Plan for the Barents Sea and Lofoten area (Arctic area) reports that human intervention and activities shall not harm the function, structure, productivity or dynamics of the ecosystem. The precautionary principle is currently the guiding principle applied in the Norwegian Barents Sea based on the assumption that Arctic areas host a fragile and sensitive ecosystem. The industry proposed a zero physical discharges regime in this area which has been strictly implemented in the regulation on the assumption that this will provide the best environmental practice. The precautionary principle and zero discharge are therefore presently applied to E&P discharges rather than using a scientifically based approach.