Port Wings Window to Maritime World
Chennai, 14 Dec 2022:
The international maritime community gathered this week in London to discuss the energy transition of shipping, in particular the revision of the levels of ambition of the IMO GHG (Greenhouse Gas Emissions) Strategy, the combination of measures to be adopted to drive decarbonisation, and the ensuring of a just and equitable energy transition.
The International Academy of Public Health [IAPH] joined and contributed to the lively and constructive debate during the deliberations of the respective IMO Intersessional working group on GHG emission reduction (5-9 December).
In line with its submitted document to the MEPC, IAPH called for an ambitious revision of the IMO GHG Strategy, setting a zero-emission target by 2050.
“As climate science clearly demonstrates, for the world to stay on a 1.5°C pathway, international shipping needs to decarbonise by 2050 at the latest. Hence, IAPH supports all proposals calling for phasing out CO2 emissions from shipping by 2050, and the setting of respective intermediate targets for 2030 and 2040 to define a predictable pathway.”, said IAPH technical director Antonis Michail.
Furthermore, IAPH supported the early adoption of a basket of mid-term measures consisting of a technical regulatory instrument such as the GHG Global Fuel Standard and a market-based measure (MBM).
“IAPH considers the early implementation of a global MBM to be essential in bridging the price gap between conventional and low- and zero-carbon fuels and hence stimulating the very substantial investments needed in the supply and value chains of such fuels and making them commercially viable.”
From a just and equitable energy transition perspective, a global MBM offers further opportunities through the earmarking of MBM generated revenues. In its two submitted documents, IAPH argues that the strategic allocation of part of the revenues, towards port and land infrastructure related investments for low- and zero-carbon fuels, in developing countries in particular, has the potential to both drive decarbonisation and contribute to an equitable energy transition of shipping.
To that end, IAPH welcomed the proposals submitted by the European Countries regarding the earmarking of MBM- generated revenues and management of those under an IMO Climate Transition Fund or similar.
IAPH will continue stressing these points during the follow-up discussions and decision-making process next week during the 79th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (12-16 December).
Tim Verhoeven, Projects & Policy Manager Sustainable Shipping at Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and Valter Selén, Senior Policy Advisor for Sustainable Development, at ESPO, have also attended the meetings as part of the IAPH delegation.
