Initial IMO Strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships

[1]: 134  These emissions are difficult to attribute, as the "flag state" (where a ship is registered), owner, crew, and ports of call can all be different countries.

Understanding of how these interact is poor, making it difficult to fully assess the impact of shipping on climate change.

[1]: 134 Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, responsibility for the regulation of shipping emissions was assigned to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

In January 2010, Norway proposed potential targets intended to put shipping in line with expectations for other economic sectors.

That the new regulations would apply equally to all countries regardless of economic development was a source of dispute relating to the principles of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and No More Favourable Treatment.

[3]: 9 In April 2016, the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) agreed only that ships weighing 5,000 tons or more should submit fuel use data.

[1]: 143 IMO remains committed to reducing GHG emissions from international shipping and, as a matter of urgency, aims to phase them out as soon as possible this century.

[1]: 143–144 Along with setting an overall vision and general principles, the IMO strategy also includes different suggested measures that can be taken to reduce emissions.

To assess these for each situation, the MEPC has developed a process which cites the principles of simplicity, inclusiveness, transparency, flexibility, an evidenced-based approach, and measure-specific consideration.

To facilitate implementation in less developed countries, in July 2019 the IMO established a fund supplied through voluntary donations to support capacity building and technical cooperation.

One program was to develop a fourth IMO GHG study, focused on the period from 2012-2018, to help inform the 2023 revision of the strategy.

Reasons raised in opposition include providing an advantage to developed economies, and potential incompatibility with World Trade Organization rules.

[1]: 149–150  One possible market-based mechanism would be a carbon tax charged on ships weighing over 5000 tonnes,[9] to help fund bunkering for cleaner fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia.

[10] The European Union designed a Regional Emissions Trading System, to be put into effect if it was felt the IMO did not move far enough.

Cargo ships loaded with shipping containers near cranes at a port
While it is the most efficient way to transport goods, the emissions from international shipping are projected to grow as a proportion of global emissions.
Graph showing potential greenhouse gas emissions pathways, with no action expected to see emissions almost triple
The Paris Agreement did not cover emissions from international shipping. Unchecked shipping emissions would reduce the changes of meeting its goal of limiting climate change .
A cargo ship with four vertical columns rising above its deck
The E-Ship 1 , built in 2010, is a rotor ship that harnesses wind power to reduce fuel use.
A map highlighting the majority of the world's countries
Member states of the International Maritime Organization