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Danish proposal for a climate contribution on ship fuels enjoys international support
At the MEPC 59 a great number of countries and industrial organisations supported the Danish market-based proposal to pay a contribution when buying fuels for ships engaged on international voyages.
At the 59th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee, MEPC 59, which was held from 13 to 17 July 2009, a great number of countries and industrial organisations supported the Danish market-based proposal to pay a contribution when buying fuels for ships engaged on international voyages. Agreement was also reached about a work plan for the future work developing a market-based instrument in the IMO. At the same time, agreement was reached about an energy efficiency design index for new ships’ environmental operation based on design requirements during the design phase with a view to testing the sturdiness hereof for the most common ship types.
The Secretary-General urged the IMO to demonstrate leadership
In his opening address, the IMO Secretary-General stressed the need for the IMO to send a clear signal to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 15) to be held in Copenhagen in 2009 that the IMO is ready to take the lead in delivering the shipping industry’s contribution to a solution of global climate challenges. At the same time, the Secretary-General urged the member States to consider the global climate challenges a possibility that may be of benefit to the climate and, simultaneously, strengthen the shipping industry.
In-depth discussion of market-based instruments
As decided at the 58th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee, MEPC 58, in October 2008, there was at MEPC 59 for the first time an in-depth discussion of market-based instruments for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. Though the discussion revealed, as expected, that it was not yet possible to point unambiguously to one market-based instrument, a considerable number of countries found it important to continue developing a market-based instrument. The reason for this was that technical and operative measures alone could not deliver the necessary CO2 reductions from the sector.
Among the market-based proposals discussed at the meeting was a proposal from Denmark to pay a contribution when buying fuels for ships engaged on international voyages. The contribution should be paid to a fund, which could, among other things, use the proceeds to finance climate change measures in developing countries. Furthermore, Norway, Germany and France had submitted a proposal to introduce a quota trading system for international shipping. Finally, the United States had proposed the introduction of a design index for new and existing ships permitting ships to trade efficiency credits.
While the Danish proposal or a further development hereof was supported by a great number of countries and industrial organisations, only the three submitting countries supported the proposal for a quota trading system. Consequently, the Danish proposal received wider support than previously, and there was greater support than expected for using the Danish proposal as a platform for a further development of a market-based instrument in the IMO. However, a number of countries still kept their cards close to the chest and did not express their view at this point in time.
In addition, almost all member States said that they considered the IMO the proper forum for the development of instruments intended to reduce CO2 emissions from ships. A number of developing countries said that the UNFCC principle on States’ common but differentiated responsibility should be considered and that the results of COP 15 should be awaited. A handful of countries also expressed the view that the IMO should lay down reduction goals for future CO2 emissions from the shipping industry.
As an important step in the future work, the MEPC agreed to a work plan for the development of a market-based instrument in the IMO until the IMO Assembly in late 2011.
Finalisation of technical and operative instruments
At the meeting, agreement was reached about the energy efficiency design index, after having made a few minor amendments, with a view to testing its sturdiness for the most common ship types representing by far the major part of CO2 emissions from ships in international trade.
At the previous session, the industry had expressed concern about the suitability of the proposed design index for ro/ro cargo ships. Consequently, Denmark proposed to divide ro/ro cargo ships into three groups:
* Vehicle cargo ships
* Ro/ro cargo ships for the carriage of light goods, such as trailers with containers
* Ro/ro cargo ships for the carriage of heavy goods.
There was wide support that this may be the solution for ro/ro cargo ships, and this solution was included in the preliminary guidelines. Denmark undertook to present detailed considerations in a paper for the next MEPC session, MEPC 60, to be held in March 2010.
The MEPC also finalised guidelines for an operative index and for energy efficiency plans for ships. The solutions were drawn up as voluntary tools for use by shipowners in their efforts to increase energy efficiency.
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Press Contact
Responsible for this article
Christian Breinholt
Deputy Director-General
Phone: +45 39 17 45 45
E-mail: CBR@dma.dk
Main press contact
Christoffer Muusmann
Head of Section
Phone: +45 39 17 45 00
E-mail: cmu@dma.dk |
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