Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), 74th session, 13-17 May 2019 (opening address)

ADDRESS BY IMO SECRETARY-GENERAL KITACK LIM AT THE OPENING OF THE SEVENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE

13 to 17 May 2019

Good morning Mr. Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. It is a pleasure for me to welcome you to the seventy-fourth session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee.  I extend a particular welcome to those of you who are attending the Committee for the first time.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say a few words about this year's World Maritime Day theme, "Empowering women in the maritime community", which recognizes the professional contribution of women to the maritime industry. The participation of women in the economy, political decision-making and society is key to addressing maritime challenges.

This year's World Maritime Day will be celebrated at IMO Headquarters on 26 September, and the annual parallel event will be organized by the Government of Colombia and held in Cartagena from 15 to 17 September. While I look forward to your participation in those events, I would also encourage you to embrace the theme and use it to promote greater empowerment of women in the maritime community.

This will be another busy session with many urgent and important items. Turning now to the items on your agenda this week, I would like to highlight some of the key issues.  

The UN Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres, when speaking to leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, stated: "I think the climate risk is the most important systemic risk for the near future. I believe we are losing the race. Climate change is running faster than we are". The evidence presented in the UN State of the Global Climate report issued in March this year reinforces the view that time is running out if we are to meet the climate challenge. 

The United Nations System Executive Board (CEB), comprising 31 Executive Heads of the UN, in which I participated last week, agreed a "JOINT UN SYSTEM APPEAL ON CLIMATE ACTION", to support Member States in their efforts to combat climate change. This joint appeal will be presented at the Climate Summit on behalf of all UN agencies

Mr Guterres will host the 2019 Climate Action Summit in New York on 23 September and to echo his words: "the global community needs to bring action, not words". It is important that we continue to play our part in meeting the expectations of the communities we serve. IMO is actively contributing to all UN initiatives and activities to support these efforts. It should be recognised that IMO's work is highly appreciated by the whole UN system as a model for progress.

Last week's Intersessional Meeting made good progress on implementing the follow-up action plan for the Initial IMO Strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships and I commend the chair and delegates for the excellent work done.

It is imperative that the Organization demonstrates that it will continue to take tangible action to reduce GHG emissions from ships in the short term. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider what action is needed now to pave the way for medium and long term measures so that the international shipping sector can achieve the ambition we have agreed for it.

The importance of technical cooperation and capacity building to support effective implementation of the Initial Strategy is fully acknowledged. This week you will also be discussing the establishment of a voluntary multi-donor trust fund, dedicated to implement the initial IMO GHG strategy to ensure that no one is left behind.

I am pleased that the important role of ports to achieving the ambition set out in the Initial Strategy is recognised with the development of a draft MEPC resolution. This invites Member States to encourage voluntary cooperation between the port and shipping sectors to reduce GHG emissions from ships. I very much appreciate the efforts of the co-sponsors, particularly Canada and IAPH, in preparing this resolution.  

The Committee will consider the final report of the correspondence group on EEDI review beyond phase 2, recommending the acceleration and enhancement of the phase 3 EEDI requirements.  I am confident that this week, the EEDI framework for new ships are strengthened and the relevant MARPOL amendments are approved.  Strengthening the energy efficiency framework for existing ships is also under consideration and there is urgent need to ensure that all ships contribute to achieving the ambition of the Initial Strategy.

You will also be invited to confirm the terms of reference and initiate the Fourth IMO GHG Study, the findings of which will provide important input to this Committee's future deliberations and decision-making.

Distinguished delegates,

With the entry into effect of 1 January 2020 being just over 6 months away, this is the last Committee meeting before "IMO 2020". Significant efforts have been made by this Organization to support the shipping industry and member States to prepare, and I urge all stakeholders, including suppliers of fuel oil to ships, to re-double their efforts to be ready prior to January 2020. This week, further guidelines and guidance, including issues related to safety, will be finalized to support consistent implementation and enforcement of the 0.50 per cent sulphur limit.

I cannot stress strongly enough how significant this landmark decision was for the environment, for human health and this Organization. It demonstrates a clear commitment by IMO to ensure shipping meets its environmental obligations, sending a clear signal that the Organization can continue to be trusted to deliver its responsibilities.

Let me turn my attention to the BWM Convention and the focus is now on its effective and uniform implementation.  At this session, a substantial number of proposals have been submitted, covering a wide variety of topics entailing proposals for amendments to the Convention and development or revision of guidance. Some of the main issues are the commissioning testing of ballast water management systems and the application of the BWM Convention to specific ship types.

The adoption by MEPC 73 of the Action Plan to address marine plastic litter from ships demonstrated the Organization's continued commitment in tackling the ongoing problem of plastic pollution in the marine environment. The IMO's Action Plan is also appreciated in the resolution on marine plastic litter and microplastics adopted by the fourth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in March this year. It is important that the Organization achieves steady progress in measures captured in the Action Plan, in pursuance of the target of the UN SDG 14 to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds by 2025. In this regard I appreciate the input by the governing bodies of the London Convention and Protocol.

At this session, the Committee is expected to, inter alia, develop terms of reference for a study on marine plastic litter from ships, which will contribute significantly to the body of knowledge and enable IMO, in cooperation with other UN agencies and international organizations, to take more informed, targeted and effective action to address marine plastic litter.  

This year is the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which was adopted on 15 May 2009. Once again, I urge Member States that have not yet done so to ratify or accede to the Hong Kong Convention and thus promote its entry into force in the near future for the benefit of the environment and ship safety.

In this context, I thank the Government of Japan for organising a seminar which was held last Friday at IMO, to encourage Member States to ratify the Convention as early as possible

Many other items which deserve careful attention feature on your extensive agenda this week and time does not allow me to elaborate on all of them.

For your information, IMO's application for observer status in the Arctic Council was approved last week. This will strengthen the cooperation with all members of the Arctic Council and the support from Finland mainly in areas relating to safety and the environment.

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates,

To conclude, the Committee's agenda places heavy demands on all of us this week. I am confident that you will tackle all the tasks successfully, inspired by the customary IMO spirit of cooperation and under the capable leadership of your Chair, Mr. Hideaki Saito of Japan, ably supported by his Vice-Chair, Mr. Harry Conway of Liberia and the staff of the Secretariat.    

Finally, I would like to invite you all to a welcome cocktail in the Delegates' Lounge after the closure of today's meeting and to celebrate the signing of a new Major Project - "Green Voyage 2050" - being funded by Norway, aimed at reducing GHG emissions, which will complement the existing family of Major Projects. 

With this, I wish you good luck and every success in your deliberations. 

Thank you.