A new study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found that establishing an emission control area (ECA) in the North Atlantic would have significant benefits.
The study follows ICCT’s previous assessment of the potential shipping emission reductions from establishing an ECA in the proposed area. The results of these two studies are intended to be a part of a submission, in collaboration with Porto University, to the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee on designating this new ECA.
A comprehensive analysis by the ICCT found that by enacting stricter requirements to reduce emissions of SOX, PM2.5 and NOX from ships, the proposed North Atlantic Emission Control Area (AtlECA) could prevent between 118 and 176 premature deaths in 2030 alone, and between 2,900 and 4,300 premature deaths between 2030 and 2050 under plausible compliance scenarios.
The cumulative economic value of these health benefits could reach €19 to €29 billion between 2030 and 2050. These ranges for health and economic benefits depend on the fuels and technologies used to comply with the ECA: the benefits would be highest if ships switch to distillate fuels instead of opting for scrubbers or desulfurized fuel oil.
Key findings
- Among the 193 million people in the proposed AtlECA, young children and older adults, projected to make up 28% of the population by 2030, are particularly vulnerable to air pollution’s health effects.
- Indigenous Greenlandic Inuit, comprising 90% of Greenland’s population and residing in coastal areas, face heightened vulnerability due to limited healthcare access.
- All member states have implemented land-based air quality control measures that improved air quality, but shipping emissions remain mostly unaddressed.
- Establishing the AtlECA could reduce shipping-related SO2 by 86%, PM2.5 by 59%, and NO2 by 3% in the AtlECA region.
- The AtlECA could approximately halve shipping-related population-weighted exposure to PM2.5 in 2030 in the median member state.
- Establishing the AtlECA could prevent 118–176 premature deaths in 2030 and cumulatively prevent 2,900 to 4,300 premature deaths from 2030 to 2050.
- Economic benefits from avoided premature deaths are estimated between €0.82 and €1.23 billion in 2030, with cumulative benefits of €19–€29 billion from 2030 to 2050.
- The proposed AtlECA includes over 1,500 marine protected areas, covering 10% of the area, and 17 important marine mammal habitats, covering 16% of the area.
- Approximately 17% of the AtlECA overlaps with the IMO-designated Western Particularly Sensitive Sea Area.
- The AtlECA region contains 148 UNESCO World Heritage sites, accounting for about 12% of the global total.
- Shipping emissions of SOX and NOX contribute to pollution deposition and ocean acidification, threatening marine biodiversity and UNESCO sites.
The AtlECA would include the territorial seas and exclusive economic zones of the Faroe Islands, France, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom—a region home to more than 190 million people. Many of them are especially vulnerable to air pollution, such as young children and older adults. Indigenous populations, particularly the Greenlandic Inuit who account for 90% of Greenland’s population and predominantly reside in coastal regions, are also highly susceptible due to limited access to healthcare. While all of these jurisdictions have implemented land-based control measures to improve air quality, the contribution of shipping to air pollution remains largely unaddressed.
Establishing this emission control area is an opportunity to significantly reduce harmful emissions and improve public health for those living in coastal communities. We have found that the North Atlantic Emission Control Area could prevent thousands of premature deaths, while also delivering long-term economic and environmental benefits,
… said Liudmila Osipova, ICCT Senior Researcher and project lead of this work.
In addition to health benefits, the new ECA could play a critical role in protecting the region’s marine biodiversity and cultural sites. The proposed AtlECA encompasses more than 1,500 marine protected areas, 17 important marine mammal habitats, and 148 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Reducing ship emissions, which contribute to pollution and ocean acidification, is essential for protecting these ecosystems.
The introduction of an ECA in the North Atlantic is a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of shipping. The study provides important findings that support the ongoing political decision-making process. We welcome the plan of the coastal states to submit the application and study to the UN IMO as soon as possible.
… said NABU shipping expert, Sönke Diesener.
To remind, during MEPC 82, IMO adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, establishing two new Emission Control Areas (ECAs). The amendments designated the Canadian Arctic and the Norwegian Sea as ECAs for nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and particulate matter (PM).
