News / 'Trump's Paris pullout won't hold up transport sector's efforts to reduce emissions'

02/06/2017

Transport’s efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) will not be derailed by Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from 2015’s Paris climate agreement.

This was the response from industry bodies following yesterday’s announcement that the US would be pulling out of the bilateral agreement and seeking a “better deal”.

Director of shipping operations at Carbon War Room Maurice Meehan said all those involved in attempts to reduce emissions would be “rightly saddened”, but international shipping was in a “unique” position.

“Shipping and aviation were the only industries not included in the Paris agreement and global shipping is governed by the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO),” he said.

“Post-Paris, the IMO committed to putting in place global targets for GHG emissions reductions from the industry by 2023, to be decided by 2018.

“We hope the withdrawal of the US, and the global outrage, will mean member states of the IMO demonstrate a hardened commitment to accelerating industry decarbonisation.”

Mr Meehan said reports that the EU and China were both committed to ensuring shipping played its part in combatting climate change was “very promising” in this regard.

The US president’s announcement coincided with Nor-Shipping week in Oslo, an event Mr Meehan said made clear the industry’s determination to reduce its GHGs.

Furthermore, marine director at the International Council on Clean Transportation Dan Rutherford said the decision did not cover all US commitments to reducing its environmental impact.

“For example, [through the IMO] the US remains bound by its promises to reduce black carbon emissions and dirty marine fuels in the Arctic,” said Mr Rutherford.

However, with US accounting for 14% of global emissions, the decision will put significantly more pressure on industrial sectors to increase their intended targets.

Director of aviation and shipping, at NGO Transport & Environment Bill Hemmings said: “The US pull-out puts even greater pressure on the shipping industry to act.

“We will be watching and pressing all IMO member states, particularly some of those flags of convenience representing such a large proportion of the world’s fleet not to backslide.”

Mr Hemmings said proposals had already been tabled by the International Chamber of Shipping but urged the EU to implement an insurance policy should the IMO fail to deliver.