UK Chamber of Shipping refutes committee’s claims of green ‘delaying tactics’

30 Jan 2012 - Environment , Shipping

• Energy and Climate Change Committee accuses shipping of delaying progress in reducing industry emissions

• Global solution to reducing emissions is merely a 'delaying tactic', says Committee

The UK Chamber of Shipping has rejected claims by the Energy and Climate Change Committee that industry calls for a global solution to reduce carbon emissions is merely a ‘delaying tactic’ to avoid cleaning up the sector.

Last week, the Energy and Climate Change Committee published a report on the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), which concluded that shipping should be included in the ETS if it cannot improve its record quickly.

“We believe that calls by the industry for an international cap-and-trade scheme for shipping are a delaying tactic. The EU should set out its own indicators for an acceptable international agreement on shipping emissions by 2015,” the report said.

“If this is not achieved, it should set out a timetable for the inclusion of shipping emissions in the EU Emissions Trading System in Phase IV, or an equivalent measure,” adds the report.

Despite the UK Chamber of Shipping welcoming the report’s discussion on the EU ETS, the British shipping group claims that any suggestion of a global solution being a calculated delaying tactic is wide of the mark.

“A global solution is the only workable goal for the reduction of carbon emissions from shipping and we refute the Committee’s conclusion that this is a delaying tactic,” said Mark Brownrigg, Director General of the Chamber of Shipping, in a statement.

“This displays a lack of understanding of the shipping industry and how it is regulated, which were also echoed in some of the commentary during evidence sessions.”

“The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), after many months of extensive research and consultation, produced a study paper last year reviewing shipping emissions and whether they should be included in UK carbon targets and budgets. The CCC clearly state in their initial paper that ‘ideally shipping would be covered by a global agreement’ and will report fully in March this year,” added Brownrigg.

Brownrigg continues by adding that there seems to be a general consensus that shipping is ‘the most polluting industry in the world’. However, as Brownrigg explains shipping is the most carbon-efficient mode of mass-transport for every unit of freight transported per kilometer, producing half the carbon emissions of rail, one fifth compared to road, and 500 times less when compared to air freight

“We strongly believe that the EU Commission should join the IMO effort to find a global solution,” stressed Brownrigg.

The Committee on Climate Change is a separate independent body established under the UK's Climate Change Act to advise the government on emissions targets.