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A new study commissioned by four environmental concern groups says the global shipping industry can halve its CO2 emissions by 2030
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The groups are urging the International Maritime Organization’s 175 members to back the study’s findings of possibly achieving zero-emission by 2040, a decade earlier than IMO’s target
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The study shows ships can cut emissions 36-47% by 2030 using 5-10% zero or near-zero GHG fuels, wind-assist technology and “climate-optimizing” ship speed
Global shipping can halve emissions by nearly 50% by 2030 without impacting trade, a new study says, just as the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) is poised to reach in July a deal to cut vessels’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Civil society groups are calling on the IMO’s 175 member states to urgently support halving shipping emissions by 2030 and reaching zero by 2040 to put the industry on the zero-emission track needed to achieve the 1.5°C temperature warming limit set in the Paris Agreement.
The CE Delft study was commissioned by Transport & Environment, Seas at Risk, Ocean Conservancy and Pacific Environment, which said in a June 26 press release that the report provides strong evidence to policymakers that these targets are also economically and technologically feasible.
The analysis shows ships can achieve 36-47% emissions reduction by 2030 compared with 2008 levels by deploying 5-10% zero or near-zero emission fuels, wind-assist technologies, and by “climate optimizing” the speed of ships, said Seas at Risk, Transport & Environment, Ocean Conservancy and Pacific Environment in the press release.
The study concludes global shipping can halve emissions at a manageable cost to the industry. Halving emissions this decade would only add around 10% to the total cost of shipping operations, a sum that would be dwarfed by the cost of climate-related damages to the industry and wider society if shipping fails to cut emissions, the report said.
University College London estimates that every year of inaction this decade will add an extra US$100 billion to the cost of decarbonizing shipping.
“The science is crystal-clear, emissions from shipping have to halve by 2030 if we are to stand any chance of keeping warming below the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature limit,” John Maggs from Seas At Risk said.
“What was less clear until now was if this was possible without impacting trade. Now we know not only that it is possible and shipping has a clear pathway to halving its climate impact by 2030, but that it can do so at minimal cost.”
Faïg Abbasov from Transport & Environment called for political will at IMO, comparing the wait until 2050 for zero-emissions to waiting for one’s house to burn down before calling the firemen.
“This would be irresponsible and disingenuous. Science says halving emissions by 2030 is technically possible, and costs are manageable. What is needed is the political will; IMO needs to either step up or ship out!” Abbasov said.
Ocean Conservancy’s Delaine McCullough said the IMO shouldn’t squander possibly “the last best opportunity to put shipping on track to prevent a climate disaster”.
“Countries and shipping companies have raised real concerns about the technological and economic feasibility of achieving the 1.5°C-aligned goal of halving emissions by 2030. This analysis clearly shows that these reductions are possible and that costs are not a barrier. The evidence couldn’t come at a better time,” McCullough said.
Antonio Santos from Pacific Environment said: “The findings are in: global shipping can halve its climate-wrecking emissions this decade without disrupting trade.”
Santos said the upcoming IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting in July is a historic opportunity to decarbonize international shipping, and including science-based 2030 and 2040 targets are essential to meeting this moment.”
The IMO is in the process of revising its existing climate targets, which currently aim to only halve emissions from ships by 2050. Negotiations continued on June 26-30 with an Intersessional Working Group meeting, before concluding on July 3-7 at the 80th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting (MEPC 80).
The last round of talks on March 20-24 March showed 45 countries that attended agreed to shipping reaching zero-emissions by 2050. Support also grew for urgent action sooner.
RELATED READ: IMO decarbonization strategy for green future
