Shipping refutes “delaying tactics” allegation
Mark Brownrigg: a regional Emissions Trading Scheme “would be very easy to avoid”
The UK Chamber of Shipping has rebuffed the idea that the shipping industry is trying employ “delaying tactics” around the introduction of further emissions regulation.
The accusation came from the recent UK Select Committee for Energy and Climate Change report, which said shipping was simply trying to use “delaying tactics” with regard to its calls for a global emissions scheme rather than being included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
Mark Brownrigg, director general of the UK Chamber of Shipping told Greenport that although the EU ETS has recently taken the aviation industry under its wing, aviation, by comparison, is fundamentally a point to point journey and relatively simple to administer.
“Shipping, on the other hand, isn’t bilateral, it’s multilateral, with as many as six countries at each end of a trade route,” pointed out Mr Brownrigg. He added, “Aside from requiring fiendishly complex regulation and potentially negative impact to European trade, fundamentally the regional Emissions Trading Scheme would be very easy to avoid.”
Mr Brownrigg went on to say that the earlier Committee on Climate Change report advised a global shipping agreement, and added there are two ideas that need further debate: one is centred on carbon trading, the other is a compensation levy. The Chamber has published two documents to show how either could work, although Mr Brownrigg admits there “is some political play” that needs to work itself out between the emerging and mature economies for the debate to move forward.
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