North Atlantic ECA Plan to be Submitted to IMO

A new study published by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) indicates that up to 4,300 premature deaths can be avoided by an emissions control area in the North Atlantic. The economic benefits of this health benefit could amount to as much as €29 billion ($31 billion).

As part of an international coalition that has already contributed to the establishment of an Emission Control Area (ECA) in the Mediterranean, NABU is committed to an ECA in the North Atlantic (AtlECA) and plans to submit a proposal to the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in spring 2025, together with the ICCT study.

The proposed area would be the largest of its kind, stretching from Portugal to Greenland. It covers the sea areas of the Faroe Islands, France, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. More than 190 million people live here who are particularly at risk from air pollutants from shipping, says NABU.

The planned area is home to over 1,500 marine protected areas, 17 important habitats for marine mammals and 148 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. "The introduction of an ECA in the North Atlantic is a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of shipping,” says NABU shipping expert Sönke Diesener. “The study provides important findings that support the ongoing political decision-making process. We welcome the plan of the coastal states to submit the application and study to the UN IMO as soon as possible."