EU report on need to reduce shipping pollution

Shipping pollution should be reduced to tackle climate change and prevent damage to human health, according to a report from the European Commission released on December 21.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) provides an overview of methodologies for estimating air emissions from shipping, describes technological solutions and proposes policy options for reducing carbon emissions and air pollution in this sector.

Maritime transport causes about four percent of global man-made CO2 emissions, which makes its carbon footprint approximately on par with Germany. There is no regulation of international maritime transport emissions yet, but this is currently under discussion in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

At present, around 50,000 merchant ships transport 90 percent of global goods and make maritime transport indispensable for world economy.

Although maritime transport has the lowest ratio of CO2 emissions per tonne, its GHG emissions are expected to significantly increase from currently around one giga-tonne per year, by an estimated 150-200 percent over the next four decades.(source: BairdMaritime)

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