Applying a carbon price of $25 per tonne to shipping or ‘bunker’ fuel
Escalating greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping could be tackled by applying a carbon price of $25 per tonne to shipping or ‘bunker’ fuel, according to a new report from Oxfam and WWF.
The report shows that the EU could broker a deal on a carbon price for shipping fuel at the United Nations’ climate change conference in Durban, South Africa later this year.
As well as controlling emissions from shipping, the proposal would also raise around $25 billion a year by 2020 to help tackle climate change in developing nations, say the charities. The revenues raised could also be used to compensate developing countries for higher import costs arising from the carbon price.
The report, Out of the Bunker – Time for a fair deal on shipping emissions, says the proposal would tackle two of the major issues facing the Durban conference – agreement on future emissions cuts and finance to help developing nations.
International shipping is currently responsible for around 3% of total global emissions – more than Germany and twice that of Australia – but has remained resistant to regulation, although the industry did recently agree to some mandatory efficiency standards.
“Our research shows it is possible to cut the massive greenhouse gas emissions from shipping without unfairly hitting developing countries, and to generate billions of dollars in new cash for climate action in poor countries in the process,” says Oxfam’s advisor on climate change and co-author of the report Tim Gore.
He says that the proposals are affordable and would represent a fair global deal on shipping that addresses emissions without unduly hitting the economies of developing countries.
“The climate conference in Durban this year provides the ideal opportunity for a global agreement on shipping,” says Jason Anderson of WWF. “A mechanism to address shipping emissions and at the same time provide financing for developing countries should be one of the pillars of a strong package of outcomes in Durban.”
Source: Energy & Efficiency News