Shipping generates 1,000 Mt CO2 each year, accounting for 3% of total global CO2 emissions. Its impact is expected to expand by up to 120 percent if the maritime industry fails to cut pollution.
Shipping contributes to terrible air pollution and acid rain as well. The International Maritime Organization has frequently refused to intervene. As a result, we intend to be Europe’s premier environmental organization in addressing shipping emissions.
Greenhouse gas emissions
Shipping also contributes to global warming by emitting Black Carbon, which is small black particles formed by fuel oil combustion. After carbon dioxide, black carbon contributes approximately 21% of CO2-equivalent emissions from transport, making it the second most significant contributor to shipping’s environmental impacts.
The IMO embarked on a proposed greenhouse gas policy for transportation in April 2018, mandating the shipping business to reduce pollution by at least 50% before 2050. It was decided that the total emissions of international shipping should drop with cutbacks in CO2 emissions per cargo work.
Despite these plans and numerous rounds of discussions, the IMO has yet to approve mitigation actions that would put the transport sector on a path compatible with the Paris Agreement’s climate objectives.
Cruise Ships
While cruise ships make up a small percentage of the worldwide maritime sector, they disproportionately influence pollution levels, ecosystems, and climate.
Because of the energy demands of the lodging and leisure amenities onboard, as well as driving the vessels through the sea, cruise ships demand more fuel. Furthermore, because they go quickly and near the shore, massive amounts of fuel are consumed near coastal dwellers.
More importantly, the majority of cruise ships use heavy fuel oil, the worst fossil fuel accessible. Heavy fuel oil now holds 35000ppm sulfur, making it 3,500 times more harmful than regular diesel.
Arctic
Global warming has caused polar ice to thin, allowing an increasing number of ships to use Arctic shipping routes. Traditionally, unless an icebreaker accompanies a ship, these passages are normally only open in the summer.
Increased human activity in the Arctic will cause catastrophic ecological damage if nothing is done. Studies on these activities show that the effects can last for more than a decade within the impacted area, affecting many species’ growth and reproduction rates.