During the closing ceremony of COP26, IMO Secretaty General, Kitack Lim spoke about shipping’s decarbonization journey, noting that it has begun, but more effort is necessary.
As Mr. Lim explains, the latest climate reports send a clear message, as the world must accelerate decarbonization in all industrial and transport sectors.
Of course maritime also has to play its part, and its decarbonization journey has already begun.
Following the Paris Agreement, IMO adopted in 2018 an Initial GHG Strategy setting out a vision and commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping as a matter of urgency
However, Mr. Lim added that shipping must upgrade its ambition keeping up with the latest developments in the global community.
Proposals have been put forward to set a maximum carbon-content for marine fuels in combination with carbon pricing mechanisms, based on economic instruments, or market-based measures
In addition, as the resolve to tackle climate change is strengthened, Mr. Lim noted that the discussions at COP 26 clearly emphasize that “climate action should not further deepen the gap between developed and developing countries.”
We need to act now, and we need to act urgently but we also need to act collaboratively, inclusively, equitably and sustainably, leaving no one behind
During COP26, a total of 14 countries have signed a declaration during COP26, urging the IMO to take immediate action in order to achieve zero emission shipping by 2050.
More specifically, Belgium, Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, the Marshall Islands, Norway, Panama and Sweden, Denmark, and the US signed the maritime sector declaration, which commits countries to work at IMO to adopt goals for 2030 and 2040 that place the sector on a pathway to full decarbonization by 2050.
The signing of the declaration comes after more than 150 industry leaders and organizations signed the “Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization”, in September, urging for decisive government action to enable full decarbonization of international shipping by 2050.
