London, 20 March 2023:- Responding to reports from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) that Arctic sea ice has reached its winter maximum, the fifth lowest in the 45-year satellite record, the Clean Arctic Alliance today called on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to take immediate action to reduce fossil fuel emissions including black carbon from global shipping in order to rapidly reduce their impact on the Arctic [1].
The Alliance, consisting of 20 international non-for profit organisations also stressed the importance of the EU retaining reference to black carbon in a crucial review clause which would ensure that black carbon emissions from ships are considered at the first review of the bloc’s FuelEU shipping regulation [2].
“The devastating news that the Arctic sea ice maximum has reached one of the lowest extents recorded must drive an urgent and rapid slashing of emissions – particularly black carbon – from all sectors, including international shipping”, said Dr Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance.
“While many sectors have been focused on achieving a 25 – 33% reduction in emissions of black carbon (based on 2013 levels) by 2025, as agreed by the 2017 Arctic Council Ministerial, between 2015 and 2019 emissions from the global shipping sector operating in Arctic waters have risen 85% (ICCT data)” [3,4].
According to the NSIDC, the “date of the Arctic sea ice maximum this year, March 6th, was six days earlier than the 1981 to 2010 average date of March 12” at 14.62 million square kilometers” and since then the “extent has dropped about 200,000 square kilometers (77,000 square miles), with losses primarily in Labrador Sea, Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the Barents Sea. The five lowest winter ice maximum extents have all occurred in the last eight years while seven of the ten lowest winter ice maximum extents have occurred in the last decade.
The report on Arctic sea ice loss comes as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) publishes its Synthesis Report (SYR) on March 20th. The Synthesis Report is the last of IPCC’s Sixth Assessment (AR6) cycle of publications, and aims to “synthesise and integrate materials contained within the Assessment Reports and Special Reports” [5].
“The IPCC findings come as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) meets to discuss the revision of its GHG Strategy, and makes clear that ship climate impacts must be halved by 2030, with full decarbonisation close to 2040. It is imperative that ambitious science-based short-term targets are adopted to mobilise green investment and drive decarbonisation of the sector in line with the goal of the Paris Agreement. Fast deep cuts in CO2 and black carbon emissions from ships are needed, especially from those visiting the Arctic”, said Prior.
Black carbon is a potent climate forcing pollutant with an impact over three thousand times that of CO2 and responsible for around 20% of shipping’s climate impact (on a 20 year basis)]. Black carbon has a disproportionately high impact when released in and near the Arctic – when it is emitted from the exhausts of ships burning heavy fuel oil (HFO) it is hot and warms the atmosphere and then when it settles onto snow and ice, it accelerates melting and the loss of reflectivity as dark land and dark water is exposed – the albedo effect – which creates a feedback loop that further exacerbates local and global heating. Learn more about black carbon here.
“More than fifteen years have passed since environmental groups first warned the International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states about the impact of black carbon emissions from shipping, and it has been over a decade since Member States agreed a work plan with the intention of reducing the impact of ships’ black carbon emissions on the Arctic; yet so far, no compulsory action has been agreed to reduce black carbon emissions”, said Prior
“This April, the IMO’s Pollution Prevention and Response sub-committee (PPR 10) has an opportunity to make recommendations on mandatory action which would see rapid reductions in black carbon emissions”
“The shocking decline of Arctic sea ice is yet further evidence that the window of opportunity to protect summer sea ice is closing”, continued Prior “Urgent action to reduce black carbon emissions is needed this year – IMO member states must make clear recommendations on the most effective mandatory measures which will require shipping companies and ship operators to reduce their black carbon emissions quickly, at the next meeting of the IMO’s PPR sub-committee in April”.
ENDS
Contact:
Dave Walsh, Communications Advisor, [email protected], +34 691 826 764
Notes:
[1] National Snow and Ice Data Center, Arctic Sea Ice News and Analysis: Arctic sea ice maximum at fifth lowest on satellite record, 15th March 2023.
https://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/2023/03/arctic-sea-ice-maximum-at-fifth-lowest-on-satellite-record/
“NSIDC scientists will present a detailed analysis of the 2022 to 2023 winter sea ice conditions in the regular monthly post in early April”
[2] February 14, 2023, Is the EU About to Ignore the Impact of Shipping’s Black Carbon Emissions in the Arctic?
https://cleanarctic.org/2023/02/14/is-eu-about-to-ignore-impact-of-shippings-black-carbon-emissions-in-arctic/
[3] Arctic Council action for reducing black carbon and methane emissions
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/international-affairs/partnerships-organizations/arctic-reducing-black-carbon-methane.html
Arctic Council Member States 2017 National Reports on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions
https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/2441
[4] International Council on Clean Transportation: Be Truly “Fit For 55” By Adding Black Carbon Emissions From Ships, August 31, 2022
https://theicct.org/fit-for-55-black-carbon-from-ships-aug22/#:~:text=Keep%20in%20mind%20that%20these%20five%20ships%20represent,356%20t%20in%202019%2C%20a%20nearly%2085%25%20increase
Clean Arctic Alliance: Black Carbon
https://cleanarctic.org/campaigns/the-arctic-climate-crisis/black-carbon-in-the-arctic/
[5] [1] The AR6 SYR is based on the content of the three Working Groups Assessment Reports: WGI – The Physical Science Basis, WGII – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, WGIII – Mitigation of Climate Change, and the three Special Reports: Global Warming of 1.5°C, Climate Change and Land, The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report (SYR)
https://www.ipcc.ch/ar6-syr/
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/
According to IPCC procedures the Synthesis Report (SYR) should “synthesise and integrate materials contained within the Assessment Reports and Special Reports” and “should be written in a non-technical style suitable for policymakers and address a broad range of policy-relevant but policy-neutral questions approved by the Panel”.
Revised schedule of the IPCC Synthesis Report
https://www.ipcc.ch/2022/09/09/media-advisory-revised-schedule-ar6-synthesis-report/
[7] June 2022: Watch Webinar Video: Rising temperatures, rising seas – IPCC’s 6th assessment reports, climate vulnerable communities and shipping action
https://cleanarctic.org/2022/06/07/webinar-rising-temperatures-rising-seas-ipccs-6th-assessment-reports-climate-vulnerable-communities-and-shipping-action/
August 2021: IPCC Report on Climate Crisis: Clean Arctic Alliance Calls for Black Carbon Cuts from Shipping
https://cleanarctic.org/2021/08/09/ipcc-report-on-climate-crisis-clean-arctic-alliance-calls-for-black-carbon-cuts-from-shipping/
“The IPCC findings make the levels of climate ambition and timelines currently on the table for shipping at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) totally inadequate. It is imperative that measures due for adoption later this year be strengthened to ensure they drive fast deep cuts in CO2 and black carbon emissions from ships, especially those visiting the Arctic”, said Clean Arctic Alliance Lead Advisor Sian Prior.
April 2022: MEPC 78/7/27: Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships – IPCC AR6 Climate Change 2022 – Mitigation of Climate Change
https://cleanarctic.org/2022/04/15/mepc-78-7-27-reduction-of-ghg-emissions-from-ship-ipcc-ar6-climate-change-2022-mitigation-of-climate-change/
About the Clean Arctic Alliance
Made up of 20 not-for-profit organisations, the Clean Arctic Alliance campaigns to persuade governments to take action to protect the Arctic, its wildlife and its people.
Members include: The Altai Project, Alaska Wilderness League, Bellona, Clean Air Task Force, Green Transition Denmark, Ecology and Development Foundation ECODES, Environmental Investigation Agency, Friends of the Earth US, Global Choices, Greenpeace, Iceland Nature Conservation Association, International Cryosphere Climate Initiative, Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union, Ocean Conservancy, Pacific Environment, Seas At Risk, Surfrider Foundation Europe, Stand.Earth, Transport & Environment and WWF.
More more information visit https://www.cleanarctic.org/
