The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has today adopted a historic ambition of achieving zero emissions for international shipping by 2050. Additionally, significant emissions reductions are to be achieved by 2030 and 2040.
“The agreement is a breakthrough for the transformation of the shipping industry. It is a bright spot in the climate crisis that there is now unanimous agreement within the IMO on climate goals and follow-up. I am pleased with the work done in the United Nations’ Maritime Organization, where Norway has played an active role in leading the climate negotiations,” says Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide.
“Agreement on a revised climate strategy will contribute to reducing emissions from international shipping and at the same time create new business opportunities for the Norwegian maritime sector. A global market is being created, and there is demand for solutions that Norwegian actors are ready to deliver,” says Minister of Fisheries and Sea Bjørnar Skjæran.
Shipping accounts for three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and 80 percent of global trade. Intense negotiations on a new climate agreement have been taking place in London for the past two weeks. The agreement aims to ensure that shipping contributes to the temperature target of the Paris Agreement and achieves zero emissions by 2050. Norway has led the negotiations.
Furthermore, the IMO has established new guidelines for fuels throughout the value chain. Revised guidelines to prevent biofouling on ship hulls and the spread of invasive marine species have also been adopted.
The revised climate strategy includes milestones for reducing total emissions from international shipping by 2030 and 2040, on the path to zero emissions by 2050. Over the next seven years, international shipping is expected to reduce total emissions by 20-30 percent compared to 2008. Between five and ten percent of the energy used in shipping should be zero emissions by 2030. By 2040, emissions from shipping should be reduced by 70-80 percent compared to 2008.
“The goals for 2030 ensure that we achieve a rapid transition to the necessary zero-emission solutions. This is important to stay on track towards the goal of zero emissions by 2050,” says Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide.
The agreement has a tight timeline for follow-up. By 2025, member states are to agree on new requirements for shipping to ensure that the goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050 are achieved. The parties have agreed to develop technical requirements for reduced emissions from fuels, taking into account emissions throughout the value chain. Furthermore, there is an agreement to develop a pricing mechanism for shipping emissions that will work in conjunction with the technical requirements.
Norway has actively worked to ensure an ambitious timeline for the follow-up work. This provides important and necessary predictability for both member states and the maritime industry, which will implement the transformation in practice. The Norwegian maritime industry is at the forefront of the global green transition and has been a clear voice for high ambition levels in terms of goals and follow-up.
The Environmental Committee also adopted new guidelines for assessing lifecycle emissions from fuels used in shipping. This is an important tool to ensure that emissions reductions in shipping do not lead to increased emissions in other sectors due to the production of zero-emission fuels.
Norway has led the work on revising the guidelines to prevent the spread of invasive species through biofouling on ship hulls. This is an important part of the follow-up to the Nature Agreement adopted in Montreal in autumn 2022, which highlights the spread of invasive species as one of the main challenges to address.