Page 11: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2024)

life. Even in underserved communities where a lot remains to be done, the re- sults are still positive.

Quantifying the results is dif? cult, but the results are all around us. Our rivers and our coast, overall, are much cleaner. There have been marked im- provements in species recovery (even though, unfortunately, it can also be de- scribed as a signi? cantly reduced rate of extinction). While we are challenged with achieving zero carbon, overall, our air quality is much better.

I have not been able to to ? nd a quan-

Chart courtesy Rik van Hemmen titative analysis of water quality, since it is dif? cult to cast all the minor and ma- jor local improvement into a single na- provides an annual report on it called that there were much more dramatic tionwide whole. One exception to this is “EPA Air Quality – National Survey”. changes from 1970 to 1995, but that is

OPA 90 and its IMO derivatives. There These annual reports come with a related to the compressed X axis scale the result is nothing short of astonish- graphic that is called the Baby Graphic for that period. After 1995, changes ing, but it is only a small part of over- and it is copied for this article. are recorded year by year, while be- all water quality management. The one It is a great graphic but ? rst I need to fore 1995 the same interval covers ? ve thing that can be measured and quanti- point out that it contains an annoying years. For better perspective I properly ? ed is national air quality and the EPA distortion. At ? rst glance it may appear expanded the scale, and drew in straight = Meet our experts at

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