New Deal to Curb Carbon Emission in Shipping

Carbon emissions from the global shipping industry will be cut by at least half by 2050 under a major new international agreement.

Representatives from over 170 countries have spent two weeks at the International Maritime Organization in London debating ways to clean up the sector. Despite opposition from nations, including Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the US, the states came to a final agreement on Friday, signaling to industry that a switch away from fossil fuels is fast approaching, the Independent reported.

Ultimately the goal is for shipping’s greenhouse gas emission to be reduced to zero by the middle of the century, with most newly built ships running without fossil fuels by the 2030s.

Pollution from ships is a major concern, but one that has been largely overlooked in recent years. One estimate by the International Council on Clean Transportation found that if treated as a country, international shipping would be the sixth largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world—roughly the same as Germany.

Shipping currently accounts for 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and if the sector is not cleaned up experts predict this figure could rise to a fifth of emissions by 2050.

  Missing in Paris Accord

Despite its major role in polluting the planet, shipping was not accounted for in the Paris agreement on climate change.

Mounting pressure has grown on the IMO to come up with a solution to this problem, as it was tasked with limiting and reducing emissions from shipping under the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

The new announcement calls for greenhouse gas emissions to be slashed by “at least” 50%—wording that is meant to imply anywhere between 50 and 100%. The new targets are expected to have a significant impact on the shipping industry.

"A 50% reduction in outright greenhouse gas emissions means most new ships built in the 2030s will have to be zero emission," said Dr Faig Abbasov, shipping policy expert with the Brussels-based NGO Transport and Environment.  

However, an intervention early in the talks by the International Chamber of Shipping—the leading industry association – made it clear they would support reductions in carbon emissions from the sector. Commentators noted that support from industry reduced the credibility of nations arguing that proposed reduction targets were unrealistic.

"The 2050 goal is achievable. We have in the pipeline some new builds that will use fuel cells,” said Olof Widen, senior advisor at the Finnish Shipowner's Association.

“When we have a critical mass of these solutions, then we will have a very rapid development."