The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on Friday agreed on a flexible net zero target of 2050 actively propagated by the developing nations, with a net zero goal by or around that is closer to 2050 and a clause reading if the national circumstances allow.
The IMO agreeing on a considerable reduction of the Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) in the global shipping , which is at present a major contributor to Climate-change”>Climate Change with one billion tonnes of emission per year, went softer on the strict net zero targets by 2050, which was actively propagated by the developed nations and some of the island nations.
The member states, however, have agreed to the indicative checkpoints of reducing emissions at least by 20 per cent, striving for 30 per cent by 2030, and at least 70 per cent, striving for 80 per cent by 2040.
The shipping industry accounts for almost 3 per cent of global emissions. The shipping industry is crucial to global trade carrying up to 90 per cent of commercial cargo. But ships use some of the most carbon-heavy fuels to power their engines.
The civil Society organisations, while accusing IMO of failing to align the shipping industry with the 1.5 degrees Celsius target, said the level of ambition agreed is far short of what is needed to be sure of keeping the global heating below 1.5C. The London-based IMO is a specialised agency of the United Nations which is responsible for measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships.
India also thanked the Inter-sessional Working Group on GHG Emissions for explicitly addressing the human element, including the impact on seafarers and other maritime professionals in the safe implementation of the 2023 IMO GHG strategy.