Tag: CO2

New study shows that CO2 has serious consequences for their survival Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous systems of sea fish, with serious consequences for their survival, according to Australian research.The researchers found that carbon dioxide concentrations predicted to occur in the ocean by the end of this century will interfere with fishes' ability to hear, smell, turn and evade predators.The Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies says it had been testing the performance of baby coral fishes in sea water containing higher levels of dissolved CO2 for several years."And it is now pretty clear that they sustain significant disruption to their central nervous system, which is likely to impair their chances of survival," says study co-author Professor Phillip Munday.In a paper published in the journal Nature Climate Change, Munday and his colleagues also detail what they say is world-first evidence that high CO2 levels in sea water disrupts a key brain receptor in fish.This causes marked changes in their behaviour and sensory abilities."We've found that elevated CO2 in the oceans can directly interfere with fish neurotransmitter functions, which poses a direct and previously unknown threat to sea life," ...

This allows the vessel to shut down its diesel engines thereby cutting all airborne emissions Confusion around a global standard over shore-to-ship electrical connections has recently been addressed by the publication of the IEC 'Publicly Available Standard' (IEC/ISO/IEEE 60092-510).This is aimed at ensuring global compatibility for connections, communication and protection, a leading engineering company said.UK-based ABB Marine and Cranes is promoting what it sees as the huge environmental and commercial benefits in the use of shore-to-ship high voltage electrical connection technology.Also known as 'cold ironing' and 'alternative marine power' this is essentially the port operator providing a connection to the local electricity network for the vessel.This allows the vessel to shut down its diesel engines thereby cutting all airborne emissions (CO2, plus other emissions such as NOx, SOx and particulate matter).In addition to the significant benefit to the environment, a reduction in noise pollution and vibration is realised, which has a positive effect on local communities, ABB said.Stuart Melling, ABB Marine and Crane business unit account manager said "This development removes some of the uncertainty a port and vessel operator would have around investing in this technology. The environmental benefits are clear, most of our customers accept this but also ...

Recognizing effectiveness of SEEMP in reducing vessel CO2 emissions Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) announced that the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP*1), MOL already has in place was certified with Statement of Compliance by the international classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Effective December 5, the certification verifies the plan including its application for calculating Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI*2) in accordance with SEEMP guidance and EEOI guideline from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).MOL led the world in formulating SEEMP ahead of the IMO's adoption of requirements that SEEMP should be provided on board from January 2013. The company has maintained operation schedules while ensuring safe operation based on that, and continually pursuing and implementing comprehensive Eco Sailing, a key element of its midterm management plan GEAR UP! MOL, while undertaking continual improvement through an ongoing PDCA(*3) cycle.The MOL-formulated SEEMP is an effective way of identifying problems and confirming the effectiveness of improvements by introducing its unique EEOI calculation method in addition to the one guided by the IMO. It also features comprehensive and organic linkage of application of innovative technologies such as the optimum trim(*4) backed by onboard and onshore demonstration tests, selection of ...

Even very small changes in the ocean's surface temperature can have an enormous impact elsewhere A new study suggests that the rate of global warming from doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be less than the most dire estimates of some previous studies -- and, in fact, may be less severe than projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in 2007.Authors of the study, which was funded by the National Science Foundation's Paleoclimate Program and published online this week in the journal Science, say that global warming is real and that increases in atmospheric CO2 will have multiple serious impacts.However, the most Draconian projections of temperature increases from the doubling of CO2 are unlikely."Many previous climate sensitivity studies have looked at the past only from 1850 through today, and not fully integrated paleoclimate date, especially on a global scale," said Andreas Schmittner, an Oregon State University researcher and lead author on the Science article. "When you reconstruct sea and land surface temperatures from the peak of the last Ice Age 21,000 years ago -- which is referred to as the Last Glacial Maximum -- and compare it with climate model simulations of that period, you get a much ...

Shipping industry is fcommitted to reducing its CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020 The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has produced a briefing document for government climate change negotiators, in advance of the next United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 17), which commences in Durban at the end of this month.ICS secretary general, Peter Hinchliffe explained: "The international shipping industry is firmly committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020, with significant further reductions thereafter. However, the Durban UNCCC needs to give the IMO a clear mandate to continue its vital work to help us deliver further emission reductions through the development of market based measures (MBM)."The shipping industry hopes that governments at COP 17 will respond positively to the significant IMO agreement, in July 2011, to adopt a package of technical measures to reduce shipping's CO2 emissions - which by 2030 should reduce ships' emissions by 25-30% compared to 'business as usual'. This is the first ever international agreement containing binding and mandatory measures to reduce CO2 emissions that has thus far been agreed for an entire industrial sector.Most importantly- and without prejudice to what governments might agree at UNCCC - the shipping industry believes that IMO ...

Shipping, World Trade and the Reduction of CO2 Emissions The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) - which represents all sectors and trades of the global shipping industry and more than 80% of the world merchant fleet - has produced a briefing document for government climate change negotiators, in advance of the next United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 17), which commences in Durban at the end of November.The Document entitled 'Shipping, World Trade and the Reduction of CO2 Emissions' is being distributed via ICS member national shipowners' associations and can be downloaded at www.ics-shipping.org/CO2lowres.pdf ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe explained:"The international shipping industry is firmly committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by twenty per cent by 2020, with significant further reductions thereafter. However, the Durban Climate Change Conference needs to give the International Maritime Organization a clear mandate to continue its vital work to help us deliver further emission reductions through the development of Market Based Measures."The shipping industry hopes that governments at COP 17 will respond positively to the significant IMO agreement, in July 2011, to adopt a package of technical measures to reduce shipping's CO2 emissions - which by 2030 should reduce ships' emissions by 25-30% compared to ...

Assessment of IMO mandated energy efficiency measures for international shipping An IMO-commissioned study into the impact of mandatory energy efficiency measures for international shipping shows that implementation of the measures will lead to significant reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships, specifically reductions of carbon dioxide (CO2), resulting from enhanced fuel efficiency.The study found that, by 2020, an average of 151.5 million tonnes of annual CO2 reductions are estimated from the introduction of the measures, a figure that by 2030, will increase to an average of 330 million tonnes annually. CO2 reduction measures will result in a significant reduction in fuel consumption, leading to a significant saving in fuel costs to the shipping industry The study, Assessment of IMO mandated energy efficiency measures for international shipping*, was launched on Monday (14 November) ahead of the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, to be held in Durban, South Africa, from 28 November to 9 December, 2011.IMO will report to that Conference on the breakthrough adoption, in July 2011 at IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), of mandatory technical and operational measures to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping. Amendments to the International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships ...

Shuttle system beats the pipe Researchers in Japan have published a study on shipping CO2 to offshore storage sites, which could offer an attractive solution to industrialised nations which lack the appropriate geology, skills or infrastructure necessary to bury emissions.The work from Chiyoda Corporation, led by Professor Masahiko Ozaki of Japan's Department of Ocean Technology, Policy, and Environment, offers a technical prefeasibility study of CO2 transportation by ship, the design of ship equipment and injection methods suitable for offshore operations and their regulatory considerations.The argument is that offshore burial will bring into the fold those nations that do not have suitable local geology or the skills and infrastructure that come from having a domestic oil and gas industry, necessary to bury emissions. An offshore option could help accelerate the development and deployment of CCS and provide an economical alternative to lengthy seabed pipeline transportation.The only major offshore CCS project currently operating is Norway's Sleipner project which removes CO2 from natural gas and sequesters it in a sandstone repository at least 800 m below the sea bed. The Gorgon Gas project in Western Australia plans to also strip CO2 from the gas stream and bury it in a repository via a ...

A response to the Committee on Climate Changes review of UK shipping emissions The Chamber of Shipping welcomes the publication of this important review from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) and agrees that shipping should not be excluded from carbon targets in the future.The review makes clear, however, the significant difficulties in attempting to apportion emissions accurately to a single country in what is such a uniquely international trade. The Chamber has worked closely in recent months with the Committee on Climate Change to gain greater clarity on the level of emissions from the UK fleet and supports the recommendation that the UK Government should work closely with the EU to further refine this work.The report acknowledges that there is significant scope for emissions reduction through a range of technical and operational measures. The Chamber has also strongly welcomed the advances made by the International Maritime Organization to promote the reduction of shipping's carbon emissions through technical efficiencies but believes that it will prove necessary for the industry to go further - through the adoption of economic (or 'market-based') measures to meet governments' expectations and targets. To that end the Chamber has recently published papers outlining how two of ...

UK is committed to cutting all its climate-changing emissions by 80%by 2050 Greenhouse gas emissions from shipping should be included in the UK's climate change budgets, the Committee on Climate Change has recommended.Under the Climate Change Act, the UK is committed to cutting all its climate-changing emissions by 80% - based on 1990 levels - by 2050.But international aviation and shipping emissions are not currently included.If the government agrees, it will mean tighter targets for other sectors such as motoring and electricity generation."Shipping could account for up to 10% of emissions allowed under the 2050 target, and that says this is a material issue," said Committee on Climate Change (CCC) chief executive David Kennedy.The CCC's report says there are many ways for shipping to curb its carbon footprint - by improving fuel efficiency, deploying kites or sails, or allocating vessels more efficiently.Some companies are already developing such techniques.Tight budgets The CCC has recommended - and the government has adopted - a series of carbon budgets setting down the maximum scale of greenhouse gas emissions that the UK can emit over successive five-year periods.They are designed as staging posts on the way to the 2050 target.If the government does agree to ...