Emissions produced by UK shipping could be up to six times higher than currently calculated – and more than those released by UK aviation – according to a new report.
Researchers at the U
niversity of Manchester say the global
shipping industry is releasing increasing amounts of harmful
emissions into the atmosphere every year. Greenhouse gas emissions from international
shipping activity currently account for around three per cent of total global emissions and could account for almost all of the world’s emissions by 2050 if current rates of growth continue.
Moreover, researchers at The University of Manchester say UK ships are playing a greater role in these growing emissions than is currently being calculated.
Fairer calculation
At the moment, UK shipping emissions are calculated using international bunker fuel sales – that is fuel purchased at UK ports. But, according to the report, this is a misleading statistic as the majority of vessels refuel at nearby ports, such as Rotterdam in Holland, where prices are more competitive.
Researchers say a fairer method of calculation would based on the level of
CO2 emissions released by commercial ships involved with UK trade.
Should this method be adopted, the UK’s CO2 emissions allocated to shipping would increase significantly – and possibly to a higher level than the amount of CO2 released by UK aviation.
On the basis of its international bunker fuel sales, UK international shipping emissions for 2006 were around seven megatonnes of carbon dioxide (7 MtCO2). However, on the basis of shipped goods exported from or imported into the UK, emissions jump to 31 (42 MtCO2).
Dr Paul Gilbert, lecturer in Climate Change at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, said: "Tackling climate change requires urgent emission reductions across all sectors.
"Unfortunately up until now, global efforts to reduce shipping emissions have been slow, and are not keeping up with the pace of growth of the sector."
An international deal to control shipping emissions is currently under discussion at the International Maritime Organisation.
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