28 Jun 13 - 17:30
European Commission proposal d to act on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions from ships
In December 2010, Parties of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognized that global warming must not exceed the temperatures experienced before the industrial revolution by more than 2˚ C. This is vital if the negative consequences of human interference with the climate system are to be limited.
This long-term goal requires global greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced by at least 50% below 1990 levels by 2050. Developed countries should reduce their emissions by 80 to 95% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. In the medium term, the EU has committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, and by 30% if conditions are right. This commitment forms part of one of the EU's five headline targets in the Europe 2020 Strategy.
Additionally, both the European Council and the European Parliament have agreed that all sectors of the economy should contribute to reducing emissions5.In the view of contributing to the EU 2020 Strategy, the 2011 Commission White Paper on Transport6 states that EU CO2 emissions from maritime transport should be reduced by 40% (if feasible 50%) from 2005 levels by 2050.
In 2010 the total CO2 emissions related to European maritime transport activities (including intra EU routes, incoming voyages to the EU and outgoing voyages from the EU) were estimated to be of the order of 180 Mt CO2. Despite of the introduction of minimum energy efficiency standards for certain categories of new ships ("Energy Efficiency Design Index", EEDI) by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 20117, the emissions are expected to increase.
Main driver is the still expected increased demand for maritime transport triggered by growth of world trade. This projected growth is expected to happen despite the availibility of operational measures and existing technologies to reduce the specific energy consumption and CO2 emissions of ships by up to 75% (according to IMO figures).
A significant part of these measures can be regarded as cost-effective as the reduced fuel costs ensure the pay-back of any operational or investment costs.
This contradiction can be explained by the existence of market barriers for the uptake of such technologies and operational measures such as the lack of reliable information on fuel efficiency of ships or of technologies for retrofitting ships, lack of access to finance for investments into ship efficiency and split incentives as ship owners would not benefit from their investments into ship efficiency as fuel bills are paid by operators.
For more information read European Commission's Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the the Council on the monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport and amending regulation (EU) No 525/2013
