The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has outlined its latest progress and plans to decarbonize global shipping by or around 2050, in a submission to the Bonn Climate Conference.
In particular, the submission was made to the sixtieth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 60) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), taking place from 3 to 13 June 2024 in Bonn, Germany.
Presented by Camille Bourgeon, Technical Officer at the IMO’s Marine Environment Division, the document includes concrete actions being planned and undertaken to ensure the landmark 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from Ships is translated to legally binding regulations that apply to all ships and enforced globally.
IMO’s climate action is framed by the IMO Strategy on Reduction GHG Emissions from Ships, unanimously adopted by IMO Member States in July 2023… IMO Member States are actively working on transposing these collective commitments into mandatory requirements for ships under the MARPOL Convention [Internaional Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships].
..speaking at the opening plenary on 3rd June, Bourgeon said.
Actions
In addition to the development of a basket of candidate mid- and long-term GHG reduction measures, the submission outlined other related regulatory work streams which the IMO is advancing, including:
- Life cycle GHG intensity assessment (LCA) of marine fuels – analysing the overall environmental footprints of marine fuels in a “well-to-wake” approach to ship emissions
- Improving energy efficiency regulations – implementing and reviewing the short-term GHG reduction measures: Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), enhanced Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating scheme.
- Safety regulations for ships using new technologies and alternative fuels – developing draft interim guidelines for the safety of ships using hydrogen and ammonia as fuel. Guidelines for low flash-point fuels and mandatory instruments for methyl/ethyl alcohols and fuel cells are also envisaged.
- Capacity-building and technical cooperation – supporting developing countries, particularly Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries, with the implementation of the IMO GHG Strategy through programmes, projects and partnerships.
The June Climate Change meeting in Bonn gathers parties to the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change for technical discussions and negotiations ahead of the annual UN Climate Change Conference, to be held this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024.
