IMO adopts revised strategy to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping

Member states of IMO meeting at MEPC 80 adopted July 7 the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships. (Photo: IMO)

Member states of the International Maritime Organization, meeting at the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80), have adopted the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships with enhanced targets to tackle harmful emissions, IMO announced July 7.

The revised IMO GHG strategy includes an enhanced common ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping close to 2050, a commitment to ensure an uptake of alternative zero and near-zero GHG fuels by 2030, as well as indicative checkpoints for 2030 and 2040.

"The adoption of the 2023 IMO GHG strategy is a monumental development for IMO and opens a new chapter towards maritime decarbonization,” said IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim. “At the same time, it is not the end goal—it is in many ways a starting point for the work that needs to intensify even more over the years and decades ahead of us. However, with the revised strategy that you have now agreed on, we have a clear direction, a common vision, and ambitious targets to guide us to deliver what the world expects from us. Above all, it is particularly meaningful to have unanimous support from all member states. In this regard, I believe that we have to pay more attention to support developing countries, in particular small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs) so that no one is left behind.”

Some elements of the strategy include:

Reducing CO2 emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030, compared to 2008

The uptake of zero or near-zero GHG-emission technologies, fuels and/or energy sources to represent at least 5 percent, striving for 10 percent, of the energy used by international shipping by 2030

Reducing total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 20 percent, striving for 30 percent, by 2030, compared to 2008

Reducing the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 70 percent, striving for 80 percent, by 2040, compared to 2008

For a more detailed summary of the strategy, click here.

The complete draft resolution can be accessed here.

IMO is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for developing global standards for shipping and supporting countries to implement those rules.