‘This Is Totally Unacceptable’, MEPs Urge More Ambitious Plans To Reduce Maritime Shipping Emissions
MEPs in the European Parliament have urged international decision-makers to raise their ambitions when it comes to decarbonisation in the maritime shipping sector in order to meet climate targets.
Following the 76th session of the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Marine Protection Committee (MEPC), which took place from the 10th to 17th June 2021, MEPs highlighted that the maritime shipping sector is where some of the largest number of reforms and progress needed to be made.
“It is clear that the EU faces a major challenge – both politically and tactically – in pushing the IMO towards green transformation, due to the international dimension of the shipping industry”, said Pernille Weiss, co-chair of the ENVI delegation.
“One of the things we urgently need to address is the transition to new fuels with a focus on a full life-cycle perspective when evaluating which fuels are truly clean and green.”
The shipping sector has to step up and contribute to emissions reductions. Once again, #MEPC failed to deliver sufficient measures.
Now the EU must continue its own efforts, adding the sector to the EU ETS full scope. #mepc76@JytteGuteland @engererhttps://t.co/LBG1XGXhjW
— S&D Group (@TheProgressives) June 17, 2021
Maritime shipping contributes to a large part of emissions globally, with a lack of proper ambitious plans to fully see the decarbonisation of the industry.
In Malta, plans to reduce the environmental impact of ships and shipping come in the form of the projects such as the Valletta Clean Air Project.
The €50 million investment project seeks to overhaul Malta’s Grand Harbour in order to both reduce emissions and improve air quality in the harbour area – reducing up to 90% of the air pollution emitted by ships moored in Grand Harbour.
Once completed, it will become one of the first European Ports to include environment technology – specifically cold ironing and shoreside electricity. Currently, similar projects have also either been finished or are underway in the ports of Hamburg (Germany), Limassol (Cyprus) and Killini (Greece).
Similar systems are also in the planning phase for being extended to Xatt il-Laboratorju and Ras Ħanżir in Paola alongside the Malta Freeport.
To put things into perspective of just how serious maritime air pollution can be, the average ship docked in Grand Harbour for about eight hours will release as much pollution as 300,000 cars driving at once from Ċirkewwa to Marsaxlokk in emissions.
Jytte Guteland, co-chair of the ENVI delegation also highlighted that “shipping is one of the sectors that still sails under the radar when it comes to taking responsibility for their own emissions. This is totally unacceptable”.
“An annual target on the carbon intensity of 1% for 2020-2022 and 2% for 2022-2026 might sound like progress, but let’s face it: it basically means “status quo” and is not even in line with IMO’s own greenhouse gases strategy.”
“Now more than ever, it is time for the Commission to include all shipping under the ETS, not just shipping between EU ports.”
Another way in which the EU has strived to help curve maritime shipping emissions is via the New Zealand-EU trade talks – which potentially may set a precedent for the future of trade and sustainable development.
This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
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