The international maritime transport sector, which has so far been on the sidelines of the fight against climate change, has to play its part in this global challenge, said the MEPs who took part in the plenary session of the marine environment protection committee of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London (see EUROPE 11821).
Back in Brussels, MEP José Inacio Faria (EPP, Portugal), who led the delegation from the European Parliament’s environment committee, said on Wednesday evening 5 July that in the on-going talks the shipping sector “has to play its role in tackling climate change, like all the other sectors”.
“While we have been used to talks without any results, we want the IMO to come forward with concrete measures. If the IMO does not present a global solution to reduce shipping emissions, we will set up our own scheme at EU level”, he warned.
Fellow MEP, Bas Eickhout (Greens/Netherlands) was also critical of the lack of progress: “we need objectives, and we need measures, including immediate ones. A working group will put forward, by Friday, the ingredients of the future strategy to be adopted in 2018. We want to see those ingredients, but it's not sure they will be there”, he said in a press release. Eikhout is pleased that the Pacific island states managed to elevate the discussion to a political level, by bringing their ministers, “which has put more pressure on delegations for results”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)