Instead of prioritising energy-efficient, sustainable sea transport, the focus is often on satisfying commercial interests when planning shipping routes.
This has been shown by research at the University of Gothenburg, which highlights the importance of collaboration for more sustainable shipping.
Shipping accounts for around 90 percent of the world’s transport and almost three percent of total emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. To reduce the climate impact of shipping, the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) has agreed that international shipping should reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2050, compared to 2008 levels.
To achieve this climate goal, the IMO uses a ship-based regulatory approach to promote safer, more energy-efficient shipping. However, a study carried out by the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg and three other Nordic universities shows the limitations of this approach.
“These limitations are slowing down climate work and may be part of the reason why carbon emissions from shipping are continuing to rise,” explains Hanna Varvne, a doctoral student in business administration and one of the study’s authors.
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Image via University of Gothenburg
