An IMO Commitment to Polar Fuels Could Cut Black Carbon Emissions

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) subcommittee meets in London from January 27th to 31st to consider important unfinished business related to the environmental and climate impacts of international shipping’s growing presence in the Arctic. With this sensitive region being the canary in the mine for global climate breakdown, and with 2024 marked as the first year the Earth surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, it is crucial to pay close attention to what happens – or does not happen – during this meeting.

The question, unresolved since 2011, is whether the IMO should take mandatory action and impose requirements on the shipping industry to cut black carbon emissions in and near the Arctic. The Arctic is already at 2.5oC heating, with international shipping among the sectors contributing to this warming With the Arctic warming now four times faster than the rest of the planet and the short-lived climate forcer black carbon emitted in or near the Arctic being five times more potent a climate pollutant than when emitted outside the Arctic, it’s clear that the shipping sector must act.

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