Greenhouse gas emissions from global shipping, 2013–2015

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is the key to avoiding the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. Despite international shipping being excluded from the Paris Agreement, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is developing its own strategy to reduce GHGs from ships. IMO member states will need to understand recent trends in ship activity and emissions to develop an effective strategy. Policymakers would benefit from the most recent understanding of the drivers of shipping emissions (e.g., transport demand, ship capacity, and speed), in order to make informed decisions. By considering this information, IMO is more likely to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping in a targeted and cost-effective way. This report describes trends in global ship activity and emissions for the years 2013 to 2015. The study found that emissions generally increased over this period, with efficiency improvements more than offset by increases in activity.