The international shipping industry is going to reduce emissions from cargo ships. An agreement to this effect was reached between 175 countries at the International Maritime Organization headquarters in London last Friday.

The sector, which accounts for almost 3% of global CO2 emissions, aims to cut polluting emissions by at least 20% by 2030 to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions step by step by or around 2050.

The agreement is less ambitious than hoped and faces criticism from several environmental protection organizations.

Stricter

In 2018, the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) still asked shipowners to reduce their emissions by 50% by 2050, compared to 2008. That has now been adjusted: ‘by or around 2050’, zero greenhouse gas emissions must be achieved.

Towards that goal, there are two ‘indicative checkpoints’. By 2030, pollutant emissions must be reduced by at least 20%, with 30% as a target. By 2040, emissions must be at least 70% lower, with an 80% reduction targeted.

Non-binding

Environmental protection organizations are less enthusiastic about the agreement because the agreement’s text provides for ‘directional’, and therefore non-binding, targets.

According to them, the targets of the IMO agreement will not be enough to put the sector on the track of zero CO2 emissions as agreed in the Paris climate accord in 2015.

For example, the agreement does not mean that all ships will run on sustainably produced fuel from then on but that CO2 emissions will be partially offset. Most of the 100 000 cargo ships, which carry 90% of all goods worldwide, run on heavy fuel. According to recent Transport & Environment (T&E) research, ‘green shipping is possible, but it is simply a question of political will.”

The European Union was also pushing for a more significant reduction, with higher percentages of curtailment and a shorter deadline for targets (29% by 2030, 83% by 2040).

Europe will make large ocean-going vessels pay for CO2 emissions from 2024. Like industry, the maritime sector will fall under the ETS, the European Trading System for CO2 allowances.

The Pacific islands, which are even more threatened by climate change than others, wanted emissions to be reduced by as much as 96% by 2040. They were supported in this by Canada and the United States.

“Historic agreement”

Major exporters such as China, Brazil, and Argentina were particularly opposed to too stringent targets, arguing that these would benefit rich countries at the expense of developing countries. In particular, they opposed plans for a carbon tax.

The umbrella organization of Belgian shipowners, RBSA, refers to it as a ‘historic agreement’. RBSA director Wilfried Lemmens would have preferred ‘more specific wording’ on the deadline rather than the ‘by or around 2050’. “But we understand the need for some flexibility to reach the target.”