Reducing shipping industry’s carbon emissions is ’major progress’ 

Low carbon shipping expert, Dr Tristan Smith, (UCL Energy Institute), has welcomed the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) commitment to significantly cut the industry's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, calling the proposals 'major progress'. Following a five day conference in London, the IMO today (Friday 13 April), announced an initial global plan to reduce GHG emission levels by at least 50% over the next three decades. Further work, including the development and deployment of legally binding policy measures, is expected over the next few years. A revised plan will be delivered in 2023. Dr Tristan Smith has been providing technical information to the IMO debates and played a leading role in recent UK-led research, which assessed what steps needed to be taken to achieve decarbonisation in the world's shipping industry.  "The International Maritime Organization's commitment to reduce GHG by 50 to 100% in 2050 is major progress; the world's shipping industry has now, for the first time, defined its commitment to tackle climate change, bringing it closer in-line with the Paris Agreement," Dr Smith said. "It is likely this target will tighten further, but even with the lowest level of ambition, the shipping industry will require rapid technological changes to produce zero-emission ships, moving from fossil fuels, to a combination of electricity (batteries), renewable fuels derived from hydrogen, and potentially bioenergy.