Brussels, 28/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has moved up a gear in the fight against greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, particularly large tankers in EU waters. On Friday 28 June, the Commission unveiled a draft regulation on monitoring carbon dioxide emissions, along with a report on a carbon reduction strategy.
The idea is to put an end to the ever-increasing emissions from shipping, which currently accounts for 3% of global carbon emissions and 4% of EU27 emissions. In the new regulation, the Commission suggests an EU system for monitoring emissions, using statements and checks on ships weighing at least 5,000 tonnes from January 2018 onwards.
EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said: “The EU monitoring system will bring environmental and economic gains for the shipping sector by increasing transparency about emissions and creating an incentive for ship-owners to cut them”. Following an impact assessment, the Commission says that emissions reduction could be to the order of 2% on the current levels and the system would also reduce net costs to owners by up to €1.2 billion per year in 2030.
The Commission aims to minimise the administrative burden on companies by basing the rules on existing documents and equipment carried on board ships. Companies will be able to select their preferred monitoring methodology. The collection of information will make it easier to judge ships' performances, their running costs and their potential resale value, all of which should help owners better orient their investment
Commissioner Hedegaard said: “We recognise that shipping must contribute to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”. Her counterpart at transport, Siim Kallas said: “We recognise that shipping must contribute to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, preferably through global measures which are the most environmentally effective and make economic sense. For a global sector such as maritime transport, this can best be achieved through the International Maritime Organisation. On the basis of today's policy outline, the EU will continue its efforts, jointly with its global partners, to achieve a comprehensive international solution. Today's proposal is a significant contribution to IMO efforts to cut fuel use and increase the fuel efficiency of ships with a range of instruments including technical and market-based measures”. (MD/transl.fl)