IMO at COP 19

COP 19 logo.jpg

 In pursuing its mission – safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans – IMO works vigorously and consistently towards developing a comprehensive regulatory regime aimed at effectively protecting the marine environment.

 
IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee has been considering as an important part of its agenda actions to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from ships engaged in international trade. It met for its 65th session from 13 to 17 May 2013 (MEPC 65), at IMO Headquarters in London and had the participation of more than 800 delegates, 106 Member States, 4 United Nations bodies, 8 intergovernmental organizations and 48 non-governmental organizations.
 
MEPC 65 continued its work on further developing technical and operational measures relating to energy-efficiency measures for ships, following the entry into force, on 1 January 2013, of the new chapter 4 of MARPOL Annex VI, which includes requirements mandating the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), for new ships, and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), for all ships. 
 
MEPC 65, in noting the importance of enhancing energy efficiency and reducing fuel consumption with subsequent reductions of CO2 emissions and other pollutants emitted to air from ships, considered further measures. These include the use of a phased approach to implementation, with the focus of initial work being on data collection, as a basis for future technical work.
 
IMO is also focusing its efforts on technical co-operation and capacity building to ensure smooth and effective implementation and enforcement of the new regulations worldwide. In this regard, MEPC adopted an MEPC Resolution on Promotion of Technical Co-operation and Transfer of Technology relating to the Improvement of Energy Efficiency of Ships.
 
It is against this backdrop that IMO will participate in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 19/CMP 9) in Warsaw, Poland, starting on 11 November 2013. An update of IMO’s work to address GHG emissions from international shipping in 2013 will be provided to the thirty-ninth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 39) under agenda item 11(f) – Emissions from fuel used for international aviation and maritime transport.
IMO will provide information on its role as the international shipping regulator through an official submission, outreach activities, an IMO exhibition booth, at side events and through the UN system wide activities. The IMO delegation will be headed by the Director of the Marine Environment Division, Mr. Stefan Micallef.
 
IMO’s objectives for COP 19/CMP 9
IMO’s main objectives for the Warsaw Conference (COP 19/CMP 9) are that:
·        IMO continues to be entrusted with the development and enactment of global regulations on the control of GHG emissions from ships engaged in international trade;
·        in all communications seek to make clear that international shipping regulations are currently applied to all ships according to the non-discriminatory principle on which the IMO regulatory framework is based; and
  • the interests of developing countries are fully taken into account, through IMO’s Technical Cooperation Programme and recognized further with adoption of resolution MEPC.229(65) on Promotion of Technical Co-operation and Transfer of Technology relating to the Improvement of Energy Efficiency of Ships.