IMO "Full Speed Ahead" On Climate Change in Wake of COP21

IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu has encouraged Governments to bring the spirit of the Paris Agreement to IMO.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has welcomed last weekend's climate deal that was reached at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) talks in Paris, saying it is now "full speed ahead with climate-change measures."

"The absence of any specific mention of shipping in the final text will in no way diminish the strong commitment of IMO as the regulator of the shipping industry to continue work to address GHG emissions from ships engaged in international trade," said Koji Sekimizu, IMO Secretary-General.

IMO noted that during the COP21 talks, the organization provided updates on its work to address emissions from bunker fuels and shipping.

This was said to include development of guidelines to support the uniform implementation of energy-efficiency regulations for ships, as well as promoting technical co-operation and technology transfer for energy efficiency.

"I now encourage Governments to bring the spirit of the Paris Agreement to IMO and come forward with new, creative proposals and to approach them in a constructive and cooperative manner," said Sekimizu.

IMO said that its priorities going forward include a global data collection system on fuel consumption by ships, which will be discussed at the next meeting of the organization's Marine Environment Protection Committee in 2016.

It was also said that the organization will consider total-sector reduction targets for emissions from international shipping as proposed by the Marshall Islands in 2015.

Sekimizu called on participants across the shipping industry to "ensure that investment in innovative low carbon technologies is properly incentivised."

On Tuesday, Ship & Bunker reported that the International Chamber of Shipping had similarly welcomed the signing of the Paris COP21 agreement.