IMO Only Place for Global Debate on Shipping CO2
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
As world leaders prepare for key negotiations on climate change in Bonn and Paris later this year, IMO Secretary General Koji Sekimizu has issued a strong call for any discussion on shipping’s contribution to global CO2 emissions to be held at IMO.
IMO is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for regulating the safety and environmental performance of international shipping.
In a statement issued during a conference in Singapore, Sekimizu reiterated his view that IMO is the only place where the debate over shipping and climate change should be taken forward, given the huge impact the industry has on the global economy and its unique international structure.
Sekimizu pointed to IMO’s excellent track record to date in developing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping and mitigate its contribution to climate change. Thanks to IMO, he said, shipping is so far the only international industry or business sector already operating under mandatory regulations to reduce emissions over time.