EMEA News
Renewed Call For Mediterranean ECA
A meeting of European non-governmental organisations has called for a stronger push to get an emissions control area (ECA) established in the Mediterranean region. The European NGO network called on the region's littoral states to back the move in Piraeus yesterday.
A road map to create an ECA no later than 2020 should be decided at the upcomingBarcelona Convention COP meeting in December in Naples, the conference agreed.
In addition, a Mediterranean ECA should cover the whole sea and address sulphur and nitrogen emissions at the same time.
"While there is already a lot of support from littoral states such as France, Italy and Spain other countries with a strong link to the shipping industry, others are still hesitant to join the initiative," NABU policy officer Daniel Rieger said.
In the face of "overwhelming evidence" that reduced air pollution saves lives and brings economic benefits, "I cannot see any reason to further postpone the decision", he said.
The decision of the creation of a Mediterranean ECA zone will be taken at the International Maritime Organisation.
Cruise industry body CLIA Europe supports the setting up of an ECA in the Mediterranean under the procedures of MARPOL Annex VI.
The Barcelona Convention was started in 1975 to protect the marine environment in the Mediterranean.
