IBIA took the floor during MEPC 78 to express its views on some of the issues that were discussed, with IBIA’s IMO representative, Unni Einemo, stressing the need to “recognise that it is not possible at this stage to fully and accurately predict availability of solutions in 2050.”
As Ms. Einemo further explained, regarding the calls for the revision of the IMO’s GHG strategy to be evidence-based, while IBIA recognises “the desire and need for analysis, reviews and impact assessments associated with the IMO’s GHG strategy, we must recognise that it is not possible at this stage to fully and accurately predict availability of solutions in 2050, or the full impact of 2050 reduction targets.”
However, various stakeholders still need clear targets to reach for, as well as a certainty to have confidence in the investments required.
The IMO has committed to adopting a revised GHG Strategy in 2023, so we believe an ISWG dedicated to this subject will be needed to make progress, which is evident from the various concerns raised. Moreover, agreeing now to dedicate an ISWG to the revision of the IMO GHG Strategy does not pre-empt the outcome
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IBIA has not stated a specific position regarding the level of ambition for 2050, but has noted the proposals for a “zero emissions” target, and therefore lent its support to a proposal from ICS.
Ms Einemo also added that if the revised GHG strategy ends up with an ambition to completely phase out GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050, IBIA will support the change of terminology to using “net zero” GHG emissions.
This gives the flexibility to take full well to wake lifecycle emissions into account, which we see as a crucial element to ensure the IMO’s GHG policy is holistic and not causing increased GHG emissions elsewhere
What is more, IBIA took the opportunity to comment on other proposals. Namely, regarding MEPC 78/7 by the WSC, it said that it contains several elements that could help in the task of reducing GHG emissions from shipping.
For example, the idea of Green Corridors could be aligned with proposals for the phasing in of a GHG fuel standard, which in our view is an element that will be needed to send a clear demand signal
In a similar vein, IBIA notes with interest the proposal in paragraph 16 of MEPC 78/7/24 by the US, to consider new formulations for the levels of ambition, such as calling for a percentage share of the deep-sea fleet to run on zero-emission fuels.
Both the Green Corridor concept and the US proposal would work alongside the idea of combining a GHG fuel standard requirement with pooling, meaning a group of ships could achieve such targets rather than individual ships. Pooling could provide the same overall net emission reductions from international shipping, but facilitate a gradual uptake in the global fleet of fuels and technologies that cannot be used directly by existing ships due to major technical barriers.
Combining these various elements could serve the purpose of providing certainty of demand for those investing in production and supporting supply infrastructure of carbon-neutral fuels and technologies, while achieving specific GHG reduction targets for the global fleet in a way that allows the gradual phasing in of ships that are ready to use new fuels and technologies
Ms. Einemo told MEPC 78.
