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Shipping’s decarbonization – Words without actions in COP26 aftermath Despite encouraging steps taken at COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow to decarbonize the international shipping sector, governments failed to translate words into actions during climate talks at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) last week.
The 77th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 77) was held remotely from 22 to 26 November 2021. Although maritime industry stakeholders had high hopes for a policy of net zero by 2050, the envisaged scenario has not happened and might not happen in the next two years. Namely, MEPC (only) agreed to initiate the revision of the strategy with the intent to have a revised IMO GHG Strategy adopted at MEPC 80 in spring 2023. Other MEPC 77 highlights included the adoption of a res-
olution urging for the use of distillates or other cleaner fuels or technologies to reduce emission of black carbon in or near the Arctic, and revised guidelines on exhaust gas cleaning systems. The lack of consensus among governments during MEPC 77 led to the IMO’s failure to take decisive action on the net-zero 2050 goal today and not tomorrow. A call to action The shipping industry itself has been united in calling for the UN regulator to support the need for carbon-neutral shipping by 2050 — compared to
the current target of 50% reduction by 2050 — and align the industry to the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change that aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. Prior to COP26, a multi-stakeholder task force convened by the Getting to Zero Coalition with members from the entire maritime ecosystem developed the Call to Action. Together, they have urged governments and global shipping industry leaders to commit to de-
