ICS warns EU compromise needed on Paris Agreement

This needs to happen it says in order to match the ambitious expectations of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

“Governments on all sides of the debate are going to need to show far more willingness to compromise on their current positions or put at risk an agreement on a meaningful strategy. This would greatly undermine the authority of IMO and the future sustainability of the shipping industry,” said ICS Chairman, Esben Poulsson.

Ambitious target

“Agreement upon a mid-century objective for the total reduction of CO2 emissions by the sector, regardless of trade growth, will be vital to discourage unilateral action and to provide the signal needed to stimulate the development of zero CO2 fuels,” Mr Poulsson added.

“But the very high level of ambition proposed by certain EU Member States – a 70 to 100% total cut in emissions before 2050 – is unlikely to achieve consensus support.”

Mr Poulsson said that while ICS does not fully agree with them in every respect, alternative proposals made by China and Japan merit serious consideration and could form the basis of a possible compromise.

China, he said in particular, seems to have made a real effort to move away from its previous opposition to establishing CO2 reduction goals for the sector’s total emissions.

He said that if EU nations want a global agreement they should acknowledge this by similarly modifying their own positions.

ICS and other industry associations have previously proposed the need for an ambitious vision in the IMO strategy, making it clear that the ultimate goal is the elimination of all CO2 emissions from international shipping as soon as the worldwide availability of zero CO2 fuels makes this possible.