Shipping emissions: Negotiating bunker fuels in Cancun - International Center for Trade abd Sustainable Development

Posted - November 2010 - Volume 4 • Number 4

Aviation and maritime shipping are critical elements of the global economy and trade. More than 90 percent of world trade is transported by sea, while eight percent of global economic activity depends on aviation that transports 40 percent of total freight value. But despite the economic benefits provided by the sector, international transport is one of the main drivers of human-induced climate change. Maritime shipping emissions account for three percent of global anthropogenic carbon emissions while four to nine percent of the climate change impact of human activities is caused by aviation. Aviation and shipping are an important element of the climate negotiations for several reasons, and the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) in Cancun is set to bring these sectors more to the forefront.
Inclusion of international transport emissions in a global climate policy framework has proven to be difficult, primarily because the responsibility for reducing emissions does not fall directly within the jurisdiction of any single country. Due to the global nature of the industry, some experts say that sectoral approaches may be more appropriate for tackling emissions reduction in international transport.

Complete Story and data at:
http://ictsd.org/i/news/bioresreview/97108/