The bilateral impacts of global climate change on the shipping sector: an analysis of IPCC scenarios and IMO’S GHG emissions reduction strategies

Abstract

The shipping industry serves as a pivotal marker of globalization, with its involvement in 80% of global trade. The impact of climate change (CC) on the shipping sector, as well as the impact of shipping on CC, have been extensively examined in this study. Ships produce exhaust gases which cause significant global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Without intervention, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections estimate that ship-generated CO2 emissions could more than double by 2050. To mitigate the impact of shipping on CC, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is regulating the shipping sector and setting 2050 emissions reduction targets to improve its environmental efficiency. However, the shipping industry is also affected by CC, particularly in terms of changing shipping routes and rising sea levels. This chapter reviews the bilateral impacts of global CC on the shipping sector, incorporating scenarios from the IPCC and energy efficiency measures implemented by IMO.