As a special meeting of the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (IMO, MEPC/ES.2) opens today in London, the Clean Arctic Alliance called on IMO member states to support adoption of a proposal for a new North East Atlantic Ocean Emission Control Area (ECA).

“This week, all IMO Member States must support all efforts to improve the quality of air emissions from ships, in addition to adopting the historic Net Zero Framework they must adopt the proposal for a new North East Atlantic Ocean Emission Control Area (ECA)”, said Dr Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance. “This will have more immediate and important benefits for the climate and for the health of communities throughout the ECA and also for the Arctic.”
“Creation of the North-East Atlantic emission control area will significantly reduce ships’ emissions, improve air quality, and contribute to improving public health and environmental protection in the north-east Atlantic region, including the Arctic waters around Greenland and Iceland”, said Prior.

By restricting the use of the most polluting shipping fuels, North East Atlantic Ocean emission control area would see SOx emissions cut by up to 82% and particulate matter by 64%, which will avoid thousands of premature deaths by 2050, and have a co-benefit of reducing the black carbon emissions which have a detrimental impact on Arctic snow and ice.
“The positive impacts from adoption of this emission control area will be further bolstered by action on black carbon at the IMO’s forthcoming PPR13 meeting in February”, added Prior.

“Black carbon is one of the longest, unresolved issues running at the IMO, and must be dealt with without delay”, said Prior. “A strong agreement on polar fuels can set rules which will reduce black carbon emission levels from shipping in the Arctic region”, added Prior. “The deadline for submitting proposals is December – a concrete proposal is needed led by Arctic states like Norway or Canada on polar fuels that will ensure a reduction of Arctic black carbon emissions”.

A regulation requiring the use of polar fuels in the Arctic would set the foundation in MARPOL Annex VI (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) for reductions in emissions which reduce the impact of black carbon on the Arctic.