The Royal Australian Navy and the marine environment

Around the world there has been a clear change in many navies with regards to their environmental responsibilities. Navies are becoming much more environmentally conscious. There is no doubt that the catalyst for this change has been the growing concern over environmental degradation, including concern over the state of the marine environment. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has been part of this broader trend. The purpose of this paper is to provide an account of how the RAN is fulfilling its environmental responsibilities. Before doing so, however, it is necessary to outline regional naval trends and the legal framework for naval operations.