London, England - WWF-UK has welcomed a call from the British shipping industry for a global emissions trading scheme which would help to combat greenhouse gases. The British Chamber of Shipping yesterday became the first major global shipping body to call for such a solution. It claims a scheme of this nature would combat carbon emissions more effectively than regional schemes operated by the European Union.
London, England - WWF-UK has welcomed a call from the British
shipping industry for a global emissions trading scheme which would
help to combat greenhouse gases.
The British Chamber of Shipping yesterday became the first major global
shipping body to call for such a solution. It claims a scheme of this
nature would combat carbon emissions more effectively than regional
schemes operated by the European Union.
The trade body said it recognised that there was no effective way to
include shipping in a national carbon emissions scheme because of the
very nature of seaborne trade, and that trading emissions were the only
practical solution. A UN International Maritime Organisation report
shows that shipping accounts for close to 3 per cent of global CO2
emissions.
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“I am very pleased that the UK shipping industry is advocating an
emissions trading system for ships and I look forward to working with
them to refine and build support for the proposal,†said Peter Lockley,
Head of Transport Policy WWF-UK.
“If designed well, the scheme would put a price on maritime carbon
emissions, speeding up the drive for cleaner ships and helping to pay
for low-carbon development in poorer countries. It would position
shipping as a progressive and responsible industry, and I very much
hope that it will be part of a global climate change deal next year in
Copenhagen.â€
Martin Watson, president of the UK Chamber of Shipping which represents
some 860 merchant ships that trade internationally, said that UK
shipping “must make a significant contribution†in battling carbon
emissions. He described his organisation’s latest move as “a bold and
far-reaching decision that gives a lead to the rest of the shipping
worldâ€.
“This is the first association to come out and support emissions
trading in an effort to try and rally sister associations around the
world ahead of the 2009 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen,†said
John Stevenson, another spokesman for the Chamber of Shipping.
