EMEA News
Environmental Committee Supports NOx Monitoring
Environmental group Transport & Environment (T&E) praised a vote by the European Parliament's Environmental Committee that called for the addition of nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution in shipping emissions monitoring rules but said further improvements to the regulations are needed, according to an emailed press release.
T&E said the lawmakers voted against using ship efficiency to measure emissions, which the group called "the key to improving the sector's environmental performance."
The group also criticised the committee for failing to add sulfur oxide (SOx) monitoring to the requirements, which already call for the monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2), arguing that accurate reporting of SOx emissions is crucial to the enforcement of new emission regulations starting in 2015.
"The Parliament's lead committee have seized the important opportunity to include harmful NOx emissions in its monitoring law," said Aoife O'Leary, T&E's policy officer for shipping.
"It's clever and cost-effective to monitor all air pollutants, including SOx and NOx, at once.
"Member States must further strengthen the proposal to ensure that rising levels of harmful pollutants can be more effectively controlled."
The European Commission (EC) first released draft requirements for emissions monitoring, reporting and verification last year.
In a recent commentary for Ship & Bunker, Fathom investigated the environmental and economic impacts of more rigorous emissions monitoring supported by T&E and other environmental advocates.
