Aspirational objectives proposed by four industry bodies for the reduction of CO2 emissions lack ambition and urgency, according to The Clean Shipping Coalition and the Carbon War Room.
BIMCO, INTERCARGO, International Chamber of Shipping and INTERTANKO submitted a proposal to the IMO that proposes shipping should keep its annual CO2 emissions below 2008 levels, and reduce CO2 emissions per tonne of cargo transported one kilometre (on average) by at least 50% by 2050 compared with 2008.
While Maurice Meehan, Director of Global Shipping Operations, Carbon War Room commends the statement, he says that the objectives clearly lack ambition. He believes that the statement indicates that from today until 2050, overall greenhouse gas emissions levels will stay roughly where they were at their height in 2008.
Meehan says that shipping must make goals in line with the Paris Agreement, which equates to a 50% reduction in annual GHG emissions by 2050. Meehan warns that goals must not just concentrate on efficiency as this does not account for future growth in the sector.
Faig Abbasov, Clean shipping officer of Transport & Environment and part of the Clean Shipping Coalition agrees and says that the industry needs to shape up or ship out. The ambitious proposal by the four industry bodies refuses to commit to cap and reduce global emissions in absolute terms by at least 50% by 2050 compared to current levels states Abbasov. This is hardly a break from business as usually he says. Real leadership from the industry is necessary.
Both the CRW and the CSC support ambitious CO2 reductions and recognises that the industry is sailing in the right direction on climate change, but warns it is far too slowly. Meehan believes that reducing shipping’s total CO2 emissions by an agreed percentage by 2025 should be part of the strategy announced in 2018.
Fathom-News
editor@fathom-mi.com
