Welcome to European Parliamentary Research Service podcast on decarbonising maritime transport.

Transporting more than 80% of the world's goods, maritime shipping is the backbone of the global economy.

But there's a downside. It pollutes. So how are the EU and international organisations trying to curb air

polluting emissions from ships and other greener fuel alternatives? Stay with us.

With Christmas season approaching, have you ever wondered how your online orders will get delivered

to you?

Chances are they'll be put on a container ship in China or wherever they're produced and shipped across the world to your front door.

Maritime shipping is essential to the world economy and our well-being.

But like trucks, planes and all other forms of transportation that burn hydrocarbon fuels for energy,

vessels release significant volumes of emissions that pollute the air and contribute to global warming.

International maritime transport is actually responsible for around 2 to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

This is more than the emissions of any EU member state, and these have increased nearly 10% between 2012 and 2018. And what is more worrying as shipping is projected to grow further, unless we do

something about it, emissions will also rise by up to 50% by 2050. So it's time for action. But who takes decisions when it comes to maritime transport?

The International Maritime Organization, the IMO, regulates international shipping through

conventions agreed and applied by its 174 member states.

The EU enforces these rules in EU waters and applies its own rules, which are often

stricter, to European ships and all ships in EU waters and applies its own rules which are often stricter to European

ships and all ships in European waters and ports. So, aware of the problem, the IMO started

legislating on this issue 10 years ago and in 2018 it agreed an initial strategy for reducing

greenhouse gas emissions from ships with the aim of cutting them by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels before phasing them out entirely.

While concrete steps are yet to be agreed, achieving this goal will require both short and long-term measures to make the switch to alternative fuels and energy sources.

Although markets are powerful, they cannot on their own make the transition happen.

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