Brussels, 18/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The state of the climate is closing in on the transport sector. After civil aviation, which the Commission has proposed to include in the greenhouse gas emissions quota trading system (ETS) between now and 2011, it is now the turn of maritime transport to join the ETS.
The European Commission intends to make a proposal to this end before the end of the year, if no agreement can be reached within the International Maritime Organisation on the reduction of the sector's emissions. On 16 April, this was confirmed by the spokesperson of the Environment Commissioner, Stavros Dimas. The news will come as a surprise to nobody aware that maritime transport- of both freight and passengers- contributes more to global greenhouse emissions than aviation. But the planned inclusion of the sector will not take place overnight. As was the case for civil aviation, the Commission intends to launch a prior consultation, in the autumn, with all actors concerned- industry, environmental specialist and energy experts.
The Transport Ministers of the EU are already preparing for this eventuality, as shown in their first debate on transport and climate change at the Transport Council of 22 March.
In a press release, the environmental NGO The European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) welcomes the fact that the Commission has confirmed its intention, but also stressed that including the maritime transport sector in the ETS will not be enough to counter the sector's contribution to climate change.
“We welcome the fact that the EU is finally waking up to the environmental impact of shipping, the second-fastest growing source of climate-changing CO2 emissions. So far, the international community has manifestly failed in its responsibility to clean up shipping in the decade since Kyoto was signed”, said T&E's Joao Vieira. But, he added, trading in emissions quotas will not be enough seriously to reduce the environmental impact of the sector. “The EU's estimates for aviation, also set to be included in the system, suggest that emissions reductions through trading will be offset by less than one year's growth of the industry. With shipping the situation will be similar”, he stated. T&E is therefore calling on the EU to look into “other, more effective measures, such as differentiated port charges, en-route charges and fuel taxes” in proportion to the degree of pollution caused by ships. (an)