Shipping and Climate Change: Where are we and which way forward?

The greenhouse gas emissions of shipping are considerable. They would need to halve by 2050 for attaining the goal of keeping global warming within a 2°C pathway. Instead, they are set to rise substantially. The industry needs to act.

• Current measures will mitigate ship emissions to some extent, mainly through better energy efficiency of ships.
• Lower speeds, higher utilisation, better ship designs and alternative energy sources can further reduce ship emissions. 
• Sectoral and institutional complexities must be overcome to create impact.
• A target for shipping emissions, an action plan for implementation and a carbon tax for shipping, the receipts of which could feed into the Green Climate Fund are needed.