Briefing paper on COP 15 and the shipping industry
Decisions on CO2 emissions from shipping remain to be made
The hopes and expectations were that the UN climate meeting in Copenhagen (COP 15) last month would provide a
binding legal agreement addressing three key issues:
Commitments to emissions reductions in developed countries – under the negotiation track related to the Ad Hoc Working Group on Kyoto Protocol (AWG KP)
Adaptation funding – financing for developing countries in relation to helping them to adapt to the effects of climate change. This mainly came under the part of the negotiation track related to Ad Hoc Working Group on Long term Cooperative Action (AWG LCA)
Commitments by the developing countries that are responsible for the fastest growth in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions – not commitments to specific targets but commitments (as seen from China and others) to reduce their CO2 intensity – part of the AWG LCA negotiation track.
Within the broader remit of COP 15 shipping was a minor negotiating point under AWG LCA - but there were hopes that a pragmatic approach would be adopted for shipping.