Commission welcomes the International Maritime Organization agreement to tackle CO2 emissions - European Commission - Press release

Posted - July 15, 2011 - Reference: IP/11/895 European Commission - Press release

Brussels, 15 July 2011 - The European Commission congratulates the International Maritime Organization and its Member States on this first and major achievement on a technical measure to limit CO2 emissions from international maritime transport - the adoption of the Energy Efficiency Design Index. It is the first globally binding measure to improve energy efficiency of new ships and limit CO2 emissions from international maritime transport.
The newly adopted Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) sets technical standards for improving the energy efficiency of certain categories of new ships which will, in turn, lead to less CO2 emissions – approximately 25-30% reductions by 2030 compared to Business as Usual (BAU). The EEDI will become mandatory from 2015, and will require a minimum energy efficiency level for different ship types and sizes. The EEDI will be applied to the largest segments of the world merchant fleet, and is expected to cover as much as 70% of emissions from new ships.
"I am very pleased by the adoption of EEDI at the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee today. This is a very important signal that the maritime community is taking seriously its role in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I want to thank the EU Member States for their efforts in making this happen and our international partners for joining us in finding global solutions to global problems. I look forward to building on this achievement in the future", said Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for Transport.
Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said: " This is a very positive and important first step for a truly global, binding measure to reduce CO2 emissions. I am glad that it covers new ships and such a large segment of the world merchant fleet. I also hope this momentum will help the ongoing debate on further reducing emissions from international maritime transport. Europe remains fully committed to keep addressing this issue at all levels and international fora''
Ships' CO2 emissions are directly proportional to its fuel consumption, with, on average, 3.1 tonnes of CO2 being released from each tonne of fuel burnt. The EEDI will require, in the first phase (2015-2019) an efficiency improvement of 10% and will be tightened every five years, to keep pace with technological development and reduction measures. Through its decision today, the IMO has set reduction rates until the period 2025 to 2030 when a 30% reduction in energy consumption is mandated for most ship types calculated from a baseline representing the average efficiency for ships built between 1999 and 2009.
Meanwhile, progress at IMO on agreeing market-based measures needs to be pursued The EU and its Member States expects the IMO to deliver the necessary further measures to tackle CO2 emissions.
Shipping currently represents about 3% of global emissions, while transporting approximately 85% of goods traded internationally. The EU recognizes that shipping is an efficient mode of transport but the size of the sector means it emits high quantities of greenhouse gases, and their emissions are expected to more than double by 2050 if no action is taken. In its recent White Paper on Transport, the Commission proposed to reduce emissions from EU shipping by at least 40% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels.

For more information on the EU's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping see

http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/transport/shipping/index_en.htm.

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