Report cranks up pressure on shipping to go green

The global shipping industry accounts for three per cent of global emissions, making it a larger emitter than the much-maligned aviation industry, according to study released today by the US Environmental Defence Fund.

The report, which will heap pressure on the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as it this week gathers to consider proposals for a global fuel tax and emissions trading scheme (ETS), found that the shipping industry emits more than 912 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – more than most nations.

The authors of the report, Janea Scott and Hilary Sinnamon, called on the IMO to take decisive action to tackle the problem.

"To ensure that meaningful clean-up standards are put in place for ocean-going ships, Environmental Defense Fund calls on the US and the international community to finalise the stronger standards that will be on the table at the October 2008 IMO meeting," they said.

Large ships are fuelled by diesel engines. Although engines in other sectors have been subject to stricter environmental standards, the shipping industry has so far escaped such legislation.

In addition, the international nature of the industry means that like aviation, it was excluded from the Kyoto agreement and is not included in any regional carbon emissions trading schemes.

Opponents of the measures being considered by the IMO fear taxing shipping fuel or imposing carbon caps will raise the cost of food imports as shipping companies pass on any compliance costs to consumers.

But a report for the IMO found that price increases could be as little as one per cent and cash generated from any green taxes could be used to provide assistance for developing countries trying to tackle climate change.

The IMO has hinted strongly that it intends to adopt at least some of the carbon cutting measures at the talks.

"The IMO is working to have measures in place to control GHG emissions from international shipping before the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol expires at the end of 2011," it said in a statement.