The European Parliament recently voted in favour of including greenhouse gas emissions coming from the shipping industry, in the European emissions trading scheme (ETS) from 1 January 2022.
Until now, maritime transport has been excluded from the ETS. But, through this action shipping companies will be obliged to reduce their CO2 emissions by at least 40% by 2030.
Today’s vote is a great success for climate protection. The European Parliament is taking a big step towards climate protection in shipping. The target of 40 percent less CO2 by 2030 means one and a half percent less emissions in the overall EU balance for the same volume of freight.
…said Jutta Paulus MEP, rapporteur and Greens/EFA Member of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee.
What is more, the position of Jutta Paulus, adopted by a large majority of MEPs in the Environment Committee, on amending the regulation on monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from shipping (‘Review of the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Regulation for shipping emissions’) calls on the European Commission to set up a fund for the development of climate-neutral ships and the financing of marine protected areas.
We call on EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to set the EU climate target high and apply the polluter-pays principle to maritime transport as well. Maritime shipping must do its part to close the emissions gap. In the medium term, the European Commission must set reduction targets for methane emissions and a zero emissions strategy for European ports.
….Jutta Paulus added.
For the records, the final vote in plenary will take place on Wednesday, 16 September and the results are expected to be announced at 16:45.
In light of the situation, World Shipping Council published a paper expressing serious concerns for maritime industry and its global efforts to drop the GHG emissions, in case the EU expands its Emissions Trading System (ETS) to include international shipping.
At the same time, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) issued a study which explores and addresses the implications that may arise from the application of the EU’s Emission Trading System (EU-ETS) to maritime transport.
