ICS Leading Efforts to Stall Emissions Regs on Shipping, Report Claims

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Monday October 23, 2017

InfluenceMap today in a new report said that shipping trade associations, led by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), have been delaying efforts at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to regulate shipping industry emissions.

"Progress on regulation has been stalled by powerful shipping trade associations, with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) leading efforts to oppose action on climate change at the IMO," said InfluenceMap.

"ICS, alongside BIMCO and the World Shipping Council, have collectively lobbied to delay implementation of any climate regulations until 2023 - even then refusing to support anything but voluntary regulations that may not reduce the sector's overall greenhouse emissions."

The new report also points out that the most recent IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting saw 31 percent of nations represented in part by direct business interests.

"The IMO appears to be the only UN agency to allow such extensive corporate representation in the policy-making process," said InfluenceMap.

The NGO says the shipping sector demonstrates a lack of transparency that contrasts with growing investor expectations for more disclosure.

InfluenceMap says that, as future policy shifts are impossible to predict, investors in the shipping sector should hold companies accountable for measures taken to manage climate risk.

"A key exception to this is market leader AP Moller-Maersk, which transparently discloses on its climate policy positions, appearing to support ambitious action on climate," noted InfluenceMap, adding: "other progressive corporate voices in the sector have also recognized the need for a more ambitious stance on climate policy."

InfluenceMap says actors such as AP Moller-Maersk, Stena Line, and Scandinavian national trade associations, point to a potential for a "future coalition of progressive voices in shipping" that aim to encourage greater corporate climate policy disclosure and action on climate at the IMO.

In September, Esben Poulsson, Chairman of ICS, said IMO is "the only body" that can deliver greenhouse gas reduction measures that will have a "meaningful impact" on the shipping industry's emissions.