Clean Arctic Alliance calls for tougher action against shipping pollution

The Clean Arctic Alliance (CAA) is advocating for the establishment of protected areas in the Arctic to shield against harmful air pollution from shipping activities.

PHOTO: A big cargo ship in ice sea fairway. Getty Images

These protected zones, known as Emission Control Areas (ECAs), are proposed by Canada and Norway to reduce emissions like sulphur oxides (SOx), particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in Canadian Arctic waters and the Norwegian Sea.

“The designation of ECAs in Canadian Arctic Waters and the Norwegian Sea has the potential to drive broad positive change, especially if the shipping sector complies with the designation by switching to low-sulphur distillate fuels or other cleaner non-fossil fuels,” Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance Dr. Sian Prior said.

The CAA report emphasised the effectiveness of ECAs in combating air pollution, urging proposals to prioritise environmental impact. The alliance also stresses the need for an action plan to reduce underwater noise and address issues like black carbon emissions and scrubber wastewater discharge.

“Black carbon constitutes 20% of the shipping sector’s global climate impact, and it is five times more potent a climate disruptor when emitted in the Arctic region from sources such as shipping,” Prior added.

The CAA also wants the IMO to revise the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulation and make it more aligned with the IMO's interim targets of 2030 and 2040. The CII is a metric that measures the amount of GHG emissions produced per unit of transport work, such as distance traveled or cargo carried.

However, the Clean Arctic Alliance expresses disappointment with the IMO's delays in addressing short-term measures, including the regulation of black carbon emissions.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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