Dear Members of the European Parliament,
Ahead of tomorrow’s vote on the MRV Directive, Generation Climate Europe is calling on you to support the inclusion of carbon emissions from shipping in the EU’s 2030 emissions reduction, through the emissions trading system (ETS) by voting in favor of the proposals for amendments to the MRV Directive submitted by the EP ENVI committee. Generation Climate Europe is the largest coalition of youth-led NGOs pushing for climate and environmental issues, representing 460 national organisations from all EU Member States and over 20 million young citizens.
While the EU’s climate commitment to become the first carbon neutral continent by 2050 requires all sectors to contribute, shipping remains the only sector to have escaped any regulatory measure for reducing emissions. As a result, at the EU level, CO2 emissions from maritime transport represent 13% of Europe’s annual transport greenhouse gas emissions, having increased by 48% between 1990 and 2008, threatening our climate targets. At EU level, CO2 emissions from maritime transport are expected to increase by 86% above 1990 levels by 2050 according to a European Commission impact assessment (SWD(2019) 10 final). Without mitigation, this increase will undermine the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Given that ship fuel is currently tax-free and not yet subject to emission reduction targets, the inclusion of shipping into the ETS will accelerate the transition to a zero-emission shipping future. Further, the revenue raised would provide much-needed funding for new green shipping technologies, including for the Ocean Fund, which would help the industry to decarbonise. The creation of a maritime fund to invest in clean ships and infrastructure would also bring much needed jobs including to coastal regions.
The proposal has received the support of many other organisations, including the Clean Shipping Index, which represents 29 major companies involved in shipping goods around the world.
The EU can no longer postpone climate action on shipping, this is why we urge you to support the proposals for amendments to the MRV Directive submitted by the EP ENVI committee.
Yours sincerely,
Generation Climate Europe