An online event to mark World Ocean Day and, ahead of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 76th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting (June 10-17).
“It’s excellent that [black carbon] has got so high on the political agenda in the US,” Sian Prior, lead advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance, told Climate Home News. “In terms of shipping the news is not so good. Black carbon emissions have been going up by 85% between 2015-2019 in the Arctic.”
NGOs note Arctic Council’s greater focus on black carbon but upbraid it on failure to commit to reduce black carbon emissions from Arctic shipping
The Arctic Council Ministerial provides a unique opportunity for foreign ministers to demonstrate global leadership by committing to rapid, Arctic-wide elimination of heavy fuel oil, and to immediate reduction in black carbon emissions from shipping. These commitments can be enshrined in the 2021 Reykjavik Declaration, to be issued at the conclusion of the meeting.
The Arctic Council Ministerial provides a unique opportunity for foreign ministers to demonstrate global leadership by committing to rapid, Arctic-wide elimination of heavy fuel oil, and to immediate reduction in black carbon emissions from shipping. These commitments can be enshrined in the 2021 Reykjavik Declaration, to be issued at the conclusion of the meeting.
Heavy fuel oil is thick and has a tar-like consistency. That makes spills involving it a major environmental concern. HFO is commonly used to fuel shipping vessels, including in Arctic waters. However, the International Maritime Organization has recently approved a ban on HFO in the Arctic to take effect after July 1, 2024.
“This week’s Arctic Council Ministerial provides a unique opportunity for foreign ministers to demonstrate global leadership by committing to immediate reductions in black carbon emissions from shipping and rapid, Arctic-wide elimination of heavy fuel oil”, said Dr Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance.
“Heavier oils and crude generally don’t evaporate much and instead of dispersing they form emulsions with the sea water, are much more persistent, spread further and will sink and become mixed with sediments or on coastlines will smother the beaches, rocks,” said Sian Prior, lead advisor with the Clean Arctic Alliance coalition, which has sought to ban the use of heavy fuel oil by ships in the sensitive Arctic region.
“Bacteria will work to degrade these oils too but it takes longer. These types of oil spills lead to much greater volumes of oiled material being retrieved as they coat anything.”
Use of scrubbers with heavy fuel oil is ‘not a good solution’, according to International Council on Clean Transportation
How can the shipping industry become actors of positive change for the Arctic region? How can we inspire political will and decisive action by governments? What role can Iceland and other Arctic Council states play? How can we save the summer sea ice for Arctic communities and the health of the planet? Join us on April 27 to find out.