Wednesday 13 February 2008

The apparent findings of scientists working for the International Maritime Organisation, the UN agency that regulates the shipping industry, show that shipping creates three times more climate damage than was previously thought. Until now, estimates of shipping emissions had not fully accounted for the complexity of the industry.

"Now that we know the true extent of shipping emissions, it is even more important for the government to include these in the climate change legislation currently before Parliament," said Peter Lockley, Head of Transport Policy at WWF-UK. "As with aviation, including the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gases is essential if we are to have credible carbon reduction targets."

WWF is calling for emissions from shipping and aviation to be included in the Climate Change Bill, which is currently going through Parliament. WWF also wants the Bill to commit to reducing emissions by at least 80% by 2050, not 60% as is currently proposed by the government.

Although it appears that shipping emissions are far worse than previously realised, aviation is still responsible for more climate damage once the multiplier effect of emissions at high altitude is included - which is between two and four times greater than CO₂ emissions alone.

These findings reinforce WWF's call for shipping and aviation emissions to be included in the next phase of the global framework to cut greenhouse gas emissions. International aviation and shipping were excluded from the Kyoto agreement, which expires in 2012.

WWF is also calling for emissions from international shipping to be brought into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, as has recently been decided for aviation.