Twenty one maritime nations have become the first to sign a declaration to promote the deployment of vessels using net-zero fuels on key shipping routes – so-called green corridors. The nations have signed the Clydebank Declaration during COP26 to help ensure that the decarbonisation of international shipping speeds up. It has been reported that experts suggest that by 2030 at least 5% of maritime fuels should be zero emission or net zero to ensure international shipping attains the same level of decarbonisation as expected under the Paris Agreement.
To achieve this the signatories have signed to work together (where two or more signatories will take steps with wiling ports and vessel operators) to decarbonise both international routes and domestic routes). They have agreed to:
- facilitate the establishment of partnerships, with participation from ports, operators and others along the value chain, to accelerate the decarbonisation of the shipping sector and its fuel supply through green shipping corridor projects
- identify and explore actions to address barriers to the formation of green corridors. This could cover, for example, regulatory frameworks, incentives, information sharing or infrastructure
- consider the inclusion of provisions for green corridors in the development or review of National Action Plans
- work to ensure that wider consideration is taken for environmental impacts and sustainability when pursuing green shipping corridors.
A statement in the declaration which can be read in fuel HERE, states:
“In supporting the establishment of green corridors, signatories recognise that fully decarbonised fuels or propulsion technologies should have the capability to not add additional GHGs to the global system through their lifecycle, including production, transport or consumption”.
The initial signatories are below, with some key maritime nation states currently absent from the list:
Australia
Belgium
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
Denmark
Fiji
Finland
France
Germany
Republic of Ireland
Italy
Japan
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Sweden
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The United States of America
