Increasing Arctic shipping brings increasing risks and threats – with emissions of black carbon and of greenhouse gases from vessels contributing to the climate crisis. Yet, this threat can be greatly reduced. The shipping sector has the power to quickly reduce emissions of black carbon.
Shipping emissions significantly impact the climate, human health and ocean biodiversity. Emission Control Areas (ECAs) are designed to reduce atmospheric pollutants from ships by requiring more stringent controls on fuels and engines while operating in the ECA.
The International Cryosphere Climate Initiative, the Inuit Circumpolar Council and Clean Arctic Alliance today call on the international shipping sector to halve its climate impact this decade by slashing CO2 and black carbon emissions, in response to a new study published in Nature Communications which predicts the Arctic having ice free summers in coming decades.
UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) negotiations, kicking off June 26 in London, UK, could either set the course for a comprehensive global climate plan for the shipping industry or derail the Paris Agreement to limit a global temperature increase of 1.5 °C.