IMO revise their GHG strategy in ambition to reach net zero GHG emissions from shipping by 2050

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) saw member states of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) agree to adopt the 2023 IMO strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships, to mitigate harmful emissions. The revised IMO GHG Strategy focuses on ensuring uptake of alternative zero and near-zero GHG fuels by 2030, as well as indicative checkpoints for 2030 and 2040.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said: 

"The adoption of the 2023 IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy is a monumental development for IMO and opens a new chapter towards maritime decarbonization. At the same time, it is not the end goal, it is in many ways a starting point for the work that needs to intensify even more over the years and decades ahead of us. However, with the Revised Strategy that you have now agreed on, we have a clear direction, a common vision, and ambitious targets to guide us to deliver what the world expects from us." 

Elements of the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships:  

The 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy) represents the continuation of work by IMO as the appropriate international body to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping. 

Vision 

The IMO remains committed to lowering GHG emissions from international shipping and, as a matter of urgency, planning to phase them out as soon as possible, while promoting, in the context of this Strategy, a just and equitable transition.   

Levels of ambition directing the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy are as follows:    

1. Carbon intensity of the ship to decline through further improvement of the energy efficiency for new ships to review to strengthen the energy efficiency design requirements for ships;  

2. Carbon intensity of international shipping to decline to reduce CO2 emissions per transport work, as an average across international shipping, by at least 40% by 2030, compared to 2008;   

3. Uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies, fuels and/or energy sources to increase uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies, fuels and/or energy sources to represent at least 5%, striving for 10%, of the energy used by international shipping by 2030; and  

4. GHG emissions from international shipping to reach net zero to peak GHG emissions from international shipping as soon as possible and to reach net-zero GHG emissions by or around, i.e. close to 2050, taking into account different national circumstances, whilst pursuing efforts towards phasing them out as called for in the Vision consistent with the long-term temperature goal set out in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement. 

Indicative checkpoints 

Indicative checkpoints to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping: 

1. To reduce the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 20%, striving for 30%, by 2030, compared to 2008; and  

2. To reduce the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 70%, striving for 80%, by 2040, compared to 2008.