Call for EU-China axis to drive IMO climate deal
Shipowner bodies the ICS and ECSA have responded to the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement by urging the EU and People's Republic of China to step up cooperation to forge a global CO2 reduction deal for shipping.
The idea for such cooperation arose during the 19th EU-China Summit held in Brussels last week, where leaders of the European Union and PRC reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change, reports the European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA). A major ministerial gathering on the subject to be co-hosted by the two powers (and Canada) in September, it adds.a
Meanwhile, discussions on the IMO greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategy will start at the 71st session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in late June.
The international shipping industry - as represented by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Bimco, Intertanko and Intercargo – has already submitted a proposal to keep total global CO2 emissions below 2008 levels, and then progressively cutting annual total emissions from the sector by 2050, by a percentage to be agreed by IMO.
"We call upon the EU and China, and indeed all IMO Member States, to support the industry proposals", said ICS secretary general Peter Hinchliffe - with IMO to decide whether technical and operational measures alone could achieve the desired outcome or whether some market-based inducement measures, such as a bunker levy or carbon trading scheme, would be necessary.
At the same time Hinchliffe and his opposite number at ECSA, Patrick Verhoeven, reiterated their opposition to any "patchwork" of regional measures – such as the proposed inclusion of shipping in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) – as being "counterproductive" and making agreement of a global solution "far more difficult".
近日，ICS和ECSA的相关船东部门对美国撤出"巴黎气候协议"作出了回应，并加促欧-国加紧合作，签署全球二氧化碳减排协议。
根据欧洲共同体船东协会（ECSA）报道， 5月30日到6月2日，在布鲁塞尔举行的第十九届欧-中首脑会议期间，欧盟和中国的领导人重申了落实应对气候变化"巴黎协定"的承诺。据悉，九月份，中国和加拿大将共同举办关于应对气候变化问题的部长级大会。
同时，国际海事组织海洋环境保护委员会（MEPC）第六十一届会议将于6月底开展关于IMO温室气体减排相关战略的讨论。
国际航运协会（ICS）的代表Bimco, Intertanko和Intercargo共同提交了一份将全球二氧化碳排放量降低至与2008年同等水平的一份建议，并经国际海事组织（IMO）协商通过达成，2050年之前将逐步减少航运业的年排放总量。
ICS秘书长Peter Hinchliffe表示："我们呼吁欧盟和中国以及所有海事组织成员国都支持减排的建议。IMO将具体决定是否采取相关技术和行动措施帮助达成预期的计划，并采取必要的诱导措施，如提高燃油税或碳交易减排计划等""。
同时，Hinchliffe以及ECSA的Patrick Verhoeven也重申，他们反对区域性的"拼凑"措施--例如将航运减排纳入欧盟排放交易计划（ETS），结果只会"适得其反"，并会导致达成一项全球性解决方案"更加困难"。
来源：Seatrade Maritime News
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