IMO at COP 17
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 and preserving both the marine and atmospheric environment from pollution by ships.
oceans – IMO works vigorously and consistently towards developing a comprehensive regulatory regime aimed at effectively protecting and preserving both the marine and atmospheric environment from pollution by ships.
During MEPC 62, in July 2011, mandatory measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping were adopted by Parties to MARPOL Annex VI, representing the first ever mandatory global Carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction regime for an international industry sector. The amendments to MARPOL Annex VI - Regulations for the prevention of air pollution from ships, add a new chapter 4 to Annex VI on Regulations on energy efficiency for ships to make mandatory the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships, and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for all ships. The regulations apply to all ships of 400 gross tonnage and above, and are expected to enter into force internationally through the tacit acceptance procedure on 1 January 2013.
It is against this backdrop and further to its mandate that the Organization will participate in the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, and report the significant outcome of MEPC 62 and seek to ensure that the UNFCCC Parties continue to entrust IMO with developing and enacting global regulations to control GHG emissions from ships engaged in international trade.
IMO will provide the Conference with updated information on its GHG work and the effects the adopted measures will have on CO2 emissions from international shipping through official submissions, outreach activities, an IMO exhibition booth, at side events and through the UN system activities. The IMO delegation will be headed by the Secretary-General, Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos.
IMO’s objectives for COP 17/CMP 7
IMO’s main objectives for the Durban Conference (COP 17/CMP 7) 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;
- the regulations should be 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 by distribution of revenues generated by a future market-based instrument for international shipping under the auspices of IMO.