The IMO-Norway GreenVoyage2050 project has launched a series of roundtables on the creation of National Action Plans (NAPs) to address GHG emissions from shipping, with the first event held in collaboration with the Government of Kenya on 12 July. NAPs are an important part of efforts to reduce GHG emissions in the maritime sector. IMO has encouraged countries to develop and submit their plans (read more). This will help countries to achieve the emission reduction goals set out in IMO’s initial GHG strategy.
“A collaborative and strategic approach is essential for the success of a country’s decarbonisation strategy and the NAP roundtables are an ideal platform to bring stakeholders together to initiate these planning conversations,” says Minglee Hoe, GreenVoyage2050 Project Technical Analyst. “Our bespoke support is intended to build upon ongoing activities on the reduction of GHG emissions from shipping already taking place on a national and regional level.”
The roundtables, which are available to all GreenVoyage2050 partnering countries, offer an interactive platform for national authorities and relevant stakeholders to explore the motivating factors and benefits for creating a NAP, and to connect the dots to existing emission reduction efforts by the country. The events allow practical implementation of the IMO-Norway GreenVoyage2050 NAP guide.
The first roundtable was held online and saw active participation by 10 participants representing various relevant Government Ministries and agencies across Kenya. The meeting showcased lessons learned from some of the IMO Member States that have already created NAPs (Finland, India, Norway and Singapore) and outlined the reasons and benefits to creating this national strategy. NAPs submitted to IMO can be found here.
GreenVoyage2050 will continue to support Kenya as the country explores the possible development of a NAP. This will include development of policies to reduce emissions, training as well as identifying opportunities for pilot projects in the region.
The GreenVoyage2050 team will host the next NAP roundtable in Belize on 19 July.