The International Maritime Organisation’s stalled Net-Zero Framework has the potential to shave a mere tenth off the carbon footprint of shipping by 2030, which is only a drop in the ocean of what the Paris Agreement requires, our latest study finds. Given the recent delay to the NZF and the framework’s weaknesses, it is up to individual countries and regional blocs to strengthen climate efforts
A recent extraordinary session of the International Maritime Organisation, which was meant to turn the tide on the global shipping sector’s poor climate performance, ended in acrimony. Instead of launching the IMO’s flagship Net-Zero Framework, pressure from the United States and oil-rich countries led, by a slim majority, to the 12-month postponement of the vote.
Although it was vital that the IMO pass the NZF, our latest study and briefing, released today (Thursday 6 November), reveal that the NZF is woefully inadequate to bring down the carbon footprint of the shipping sector.
Carried out by industrial economics professor Michele Cincera, our analysis projects that the NZF, had it been adopted, would have led to emissions cuts of only 8-10% compared with the 43% that would be necessary to bring the maritime sector in line with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting temperature rises to 1.5°C.
“Despite the procrastination at the IMO, governments need to face the reality of rising emissions from the shipping sector and support the transition to clean fuels and technologies,” says Jenny Helle, CMW’s expert on shipping decarbonisation and author of the policy briefing. “They should deploy all the tools in their arsenal to tackle the role of the shipping sector in fuelling the climate crisis. With the delays facing the IMO framework, the climate cost is bound to rise.”
Regional rescue mission
In light of both this delay and the low ambition of the Net-Zero Framework, our forthcoming briefing recommends that IMO member states strengthen the NZF in the meantime so as to make up for lost time.
We also recommend that national governments and regional blocs salvage the lost momentum by launching or shoring up their own measures to cut shipping pollution, such as by introducing a shipping component to their cap-and-trade carbon markets or expanding its coverage. For example, the EU can enlarge its Emissions Trading System to cover 100% of emissions from ships entering and leaving the European Economic Area, instead of the current 50%.
