Europe is already keen to strike new relationships to achieve a global climate deal for shipping following President Trump’s decision to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement.
Although the US has taken the decision to leave the Paris Agreement deal, the EU and China will continue to work towards a reinforced co-operation to deliver a climate agreement for shipping at the IMO says Patrik Verhoeven, Secretary General of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations.
It is evident that the EU is keen for the decision to not jeopardise the achievements in reducing CO2 emissions from shipping. Both ECSA and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) have confirmed their support for the EU and People’s Republic of China to intensify their cooperation to achieve this global climate deal for shipping.
This came to light at the 19th EU China Summit held last week in Brussels. Both EU and Chinese leaders said they would continue to commit to the goals of the Paris Agreement and accelerate a transition to clean energy.
ICS announced earlier in the week it has aspirational objectives to keep CO2 emissions from global shipping below 2008 levels and cut annual CO2 emissions by 2050, by a percentage agreed by the IMO.
This is additional to the existing industry commitment to cut CO2 emissions per tonne of cargo carried one kilometre by 50% by 2050, compared to 2008.
ICS and ECSA now call upon the EU and China, as well as all IMO member states to support these proposals and develop alternative, fossil-free fuels.
However, ECSA and ICS still have concerns regarding bringing shipping into the European Emission Trading Scheme. Regional schemes may distort the international shipping markets while doing little to tackle the reduction of the industry’s actual emission according to Verhoeven and ICS Secretary General Peter Hinchliffe.
This is not the way forward and it puts unrealistic pressure on the IMO, which has finally developed its own roadmap, Verhoeven told fathom-news previously.
Fathom-News
editor@fathom-mi.com
