IMO Meeting on Emissions Is Stirring Thoughts of Failure

The “Carbon Wars” is in play as the IMO’s Marine Environmental Committee (MEPC) meets in London Headquarters this week (March 22-26).



The transportation industry produces 28 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions. Trucks and cars are the primary culprit at 21 percent and the aviation contributes 2.6 percent. The maritime industry that transports 80 percent of the world’s cargo is responsible for 2.7 percent and the rest comes from rail and commercial fishing. And, in light of the National Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen addressing the maritime industry’s level of contribution also stepped in to provide guidance in terms of technical and operational measures for emissions reduction and compliance, all eyes are on London this week.



The Carbon War Room, a Washington DC based environmental group with sponsors such as Richard Branson, WWF and Friends of Earth International, sent a formal letter to the IMO’s MEPC and also sent a certified document that the IMO passed to its members for the 60th session called Agenda Item 21.



The IMO is considered to have the ability to impact change and compliance more effectively than say the Kyoto Protocol’s that allows countries to comply based on their economic capacity to do so. The question at hand is does the IMO have the initiative or will to take more decisive action.



BIMCO has stated that without having a target for greenhouse gas reductions, it will be difficult for the MEPC to engage in comprehensive solutions to the emission problem. Without decisive measures some like the U.S and EU may unilaterally regulate national and regional levels of CO2 emissions from ships. This week before MEPC are mandatory measures based on a proposal by Japan, Norway and the US to add a new section on energy efficiency to MARPOL Annex VI Regulations for the prevention of air pollution from ships.