European parliament backs shipping emissions target by end 2016

The resolution was adopted by 434 votes to 96, with 52 abstentions and in a statement the European Parliament said: “Parliament points out that transport is the second-largest sector generating greenhouse gas emissions and calls on the parties to COP21 to work through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on measures to cut emissions before the end of 2016.”

A statement from Transport & Environment said that shipping and aviation were among the fastest growing sectors for emissions globally and echoed comments by the OECD’s International Transport Forum that it would be odd for countries to have to meet targets on emissions but not the international shipping sector.

“The Parliament has sent a clear message to the EU and all negotiators at Paris; the aviation and shipping sectors need emissions reduction targets too, so there is no reasonable excuse to continue exempting them,” said Sotiris Raptis, shipping policy officer at Transport & Environment.

“You just can’t have a global deal to combat climate change without capping the growing emissions from international aviation and shipping, which have CO2 emissions equal to those of the UK and Germany respectively.”