Press Release: Climate policy: European Parliament votes for far-reaching measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in maritime shipping
PRESS RELEASE, Wednesday, 16th of September 2020 – Brussels
Climate policy: European Parliament votes for far-reaching measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in maritime shipping
The European Parliament has just adopted by a large majority the proposal to amend the regulation on monitoring CO2 emissions from maritime transport (“MRV Regulation”). In the future, shipping companies will be obliged not only to provide detailed data, but also to improve the efficiency of their ships. In addition, maritime shipping is to be included in the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) by January 1, 2022.
Rapporteur of the European Parliament and leading negotiator Jutta Paulus comments:
“As Parliament’s rapporteur, I am very pleased with the clear and far-reaching result. The measures I have proposed will bring us much closer to achieving the EU climate target. For far too long, maritime shipping has not been subject to any measures to reduce emissions. The polluter-pays principle must finally apply here too.
The fleet efficiency target of 40% less emissions by 2030 corresponds to 1.5% less emissions for the EU as a whole. Transferred to the new EU climate target of 55% formulated today by Commission President von der Leyen, this contribution by shipping would already cover 10% of the emissions gap!
We MEPs call on the European Commission to include maritime shipping in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme ETS, a binding energy efficiency target, as well as a fund for the development of climate-neutral ships and the financing of marine protected areas. In the medium term, methane emissions must also be reduced, especially for LNG ships, and a zero-emissions strategy for European ports must be launched.”
Jutta Paulus is available for further questions and interviews.
Link to the report “on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/757 in order to take appropriate account of the global data collection system for ship fuel oil consumption data”:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2020-0144_EN.html