EU Should Seize Momentum to Make IMO CO2 Roadmap Work
European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) facilitated a debriefing in the European Parliament this morning on the latest decisions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regarding global regulation of greenhouse gas emissions of shipping.
Focus of the discussion was the roadmap that IMO agreed end of October. The roadmap foresees the adoption of an initial strategy in 2018 to meet the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, which has just entered into force.
The initial strategy will be validated by actual emission figures gathered through the IMO’s data collection system as of 2019. This will then lead to a final agreement on targets and measures, including an implementation plan, in 2023. The 2018 and 2023 deadlines are fully consistent with the process agreed in Paris.
“We invite European policy makers and all stakeholders to join industry in seizing the momentum and showing leadership to make the IMO roadmap work”, commented Patrick Verhoeven, ECSA Secretary General.
“On the other hand, pursuing regional measures such as an EU ETS or climate fund will seriously endanger international progress, in addition to having negative effects on trade and jobs. The EU should also build trust by aligning its MRV Regulation on the monitoring, reporting and verification of CO2 emissions to the global data collection system agreed in IMO.”, he concluded.
The debriefing was hosted by MEPs Wim van de Camp (EPP), Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D) and Ivo Belet (EPP). The incoming Maltese Presidency of the EU, the European Commission and the NGO Transport & Environment also participated in the panel discussion.
