Countdown to MEPC 80: EU urges IMO to adopt net-zero by 2050

European Union member states and the European Commission (EC) endorse phasing out greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping “by no later than 2050” in a proposal made to the IMO.

PHOTO: Aerial view of vessels at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Getty Images

The EU bloc and EC have urged the shipping regulator to adopt a revised GHG strategy in line with the 1.5°C Paris agreement target, at its 80th Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting in July.

To achieve net-zero by 2050, member states and EC have called on the IMO to adopt “interim targets” of 29% GHG reduction by 2030 and 83% by 2040, compared to 2008 levels.

“However, there remains some reluctance from certain member states for the inclusion of intermediate targets,” the EU Parliament said in a recent report.

The EU proposal also advocates calculating GHG emissions from marine fuels based on a well-to-wake basis. “Well-to-wake” emissions refer to the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released throughout production, distribution and consumption of the fuel on vessels – from the point of extraction to the point of combustion.

To increase the uptake of cleaner marine fuels, EU member states and the Commission have recommended mid-term measures such as a GHG fuel standard and emission pricing mechanism.

“It will also be important to have a clear target date for the adoption of the mid- and long-term measures by the IMO,” noted the EU Parliament. “The EU has proposed to aim for adoption by 2025 with the entry into force at least 18 months later.”

By Konica Bhatt

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