It is well to be noted that the Carbon Intensity Indicator- CII, which is integral to global efforts so as to enhance energy efficiency within shipping and also cut emissions, will be taken up for discussion as the International Maritime Organization- IMO members go on to convene in London at the Marine Environmental Protection Committee- MEPC 81.
It is worth noting that delegates of the IMO will go on to discuss policies as well as tactics to move forward with the groundbreaking greenhouse gas strategy, which was established in July 2023.
The strategy, which happens to be backed by 175 countries, looks to cut greenhouse gas emissions by almost 30% by 2030, and 80% by 2040 in order to achieve zero emissions by 2050. With the first target looming, immediate action is indeed needed.
The fact is that the CII came into force on November 1, 2022, and goes on to apply to all ships under the IMO Data Collection System. But the current framework has a dearth of stringency or a kind of robust enforcement mechanism, with very little in the way of consequences if the ships fail to comply.
As the pivotal climate negotiations go on to continue, hence taking into consideration the urgency of decreasing shipping’s polluting emissions happens to be very imperative. By way of improving operational efficiencies, the shipping industry can go on to reduce its effect on climate as well as ocean health, as per the association of environmental organizations named Seas At Risk, and the European Union has to show its leadership skills so as to ensure the execution when it comes to stringent emission reduction steps.
Embracing cleaner technologies as well as practices that favor wind propulsion along with slowing down ships, can go ahead and immediately benefit the ocean. Marine life can, once more go on to flourish as underwater noise dips and whale strikes are avoided.
Setting urgent emission targets is indeed vital to make sure that one keeps global warming below 1.5C, as well as a well-planned revised CII in sync with the IMO’s revised greenhouse gas strategy is indeed essential. The EU, which happens to be committed to ambitious climate action, needs to focus on a robust CII, which would then go on to decrease the demand for fuel, cut greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, and sync with the IMO’s climate objectives, as per Seas at Risk.
Seas At Risk’s Shipping Policy Officer, Anaïs Rios, says that a strengthened as well as enhanced Carbon Intensity Indicator happens to be pivotal if in case the shipping industry has to achieve the IMO’s decarbonization targets and that too do so in an efficient as well as cost-effective way that also goes on to deliver quite significant co-benefits when it comes to ocean health.
Although important, the present EU focus when it comes to fuels as well as carbon pricing is just not enough. As the world goes on to face the issues pertaining to decarbonizing international shipping, EU leadership and that too on a short-term action such as a strengthened CII pushing the roll-out of wind propulsion as well as slower speed are urgently needed.
Seas At Risk has gone on to urge the EU to lead the way when it comes to decarbonization efforts as IMO goes ahead and negotiates to decrease shipping’s environmental effect. By leveraging the collective strength of Member States, the EU can indeed go on to set a powerful example, thereby showing the requirement for unified action so as to achieve greenhouse gas reduction objectives.
It is only through collaborative efforts as well as strong commitment that one can actually win the fight against global warming and, at the same time, protect the ocean’s health, said the association.
