T&E campaigns to improve the climate ambition of the International Maritime Organisation and ensure that new measures will force ships to reduce their GHG emissions and lessen their environmental impact globally.
By 2030 the IMO aims to reduce 20% to 30% of GHG emissions from international shipping activities
By 2050 the IMO aims to reach net-zero emissions from international shipping activities
98.8% of international shipping still relies on polluting fossil fuels like heavy fuel or or liquified natural gas
706 million tons of CO2e emitted in 2022 by ships on international voyages regulated by the IMO
The IMO is the United Nations agency responsible for regulating international shipping. In 2023, its 176 member states negotiated a Revised Greenhouse Gas Strategy to cut shipping GHG emissions and reach carbon neutrality around 2050.
Setting a trajectory, the IMO recommends to reach the following non-binding objectives - so-called “indicative checkpoints”:
By 2030:
By 2040:
With the targets set, the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) is currently negotiating binding regulatory measures which are planned to be implemented by 2027:
The GHG Goal-based Fuel Standard (GFS) intends to set up targets for the GHG intensity of fuels (GFI) that would force ships to reduce their GHG emissions by switching to alternative – and cleaner – fuels. This policy framework is similar to the FuelEU Maritime Regulation at the EU level. If calibrated properly, it could deliver substantial emissions reductions and create a guaranteed market demand for green hydrogen-based fuels and promote a level-playing field among global shipping companies.
The global GHG levy intends to impose a price on GHG emissions emitted by ships to increase the cost of burning polluting fuels - especially their greener but more expensive counterparts. The discussion around this “economic element” revolves around the price, depth of coverage, and how the funds should be disbursed to best support the transition while minimising negative impacts on the most vulnerable states.
The Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) already ranks each ship according to the GHG they emit to transport one ton of cargo per mile. However, these rankings are not publicly available and the measure lacks stringent targets and robust enforcement. If those shortcomings were addressed, the indicator could be changed to reflect the energy efficiency of vessels - and substantially reduce GHG emissions by switching to more efficient ships and adopting simple operational measures - like reducing cruising speed.
Along with these main measures, the IMO is developing a methodology to assess the climate and environmental impacts of different fuels. If done right, it could chart the course towards green hydrogen-derived fuels with the potential to fully decarbonise by 2050. However, if these criteria are not stringent enough – or optional – they could incentivise colossal investments in polluting fossil fuels like natural gas or first-generation biofuels, they risk serious harm to biodiversity and food security.
