{"id":46655,"date":"2025-05-13T01:48:58","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T20:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=46655"},"modified":"2025-05-18T00:21:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T18:51:09","slug":"indias-role-in-global-shipping-emission-reforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/indias-role-in-global-shipping-emission-reforms\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Role in Global Shipping Emission Reforms: A Turning Point"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>What\u2019s in Today\u2019s Article?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Shipping Emissions Latest News<\/li>\n<li>Introduction<\/li>\n<li>The Evolution of the Emissions Framework<\/li>\n<li>The Geopolitical Dynamics<\/li>\n<li>Significance of Green Transition in Shipping<\/li>\n<li>India\u2019s Strategic Advantages<\/li>\n<li>Conclusion<\/li>\n<li>Global Shipping Emissions FAQs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Shipping Emissions Latest News<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Recently, the 83rd session of the International Maritime Organization\u2019s Marine Environment Protection Committee, at IMO Headquarters in London.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>In a landmark move towards tackling climate change, the <strong>International Maritime Organization<\/strong> (IMO) has moved closer to implementing a Market-Based Measure (MBM) framework for reducing global shipping emissions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>This comes after a decade of intense negotiations. India, alongside Singapore, played a crucial role in formulating a consensus-driven solution during the <strong>IMO\u2019s 83rd Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC-83) session<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>This initiative marks a significant step in regulating emissions from the global shipping sector, which accounts for nearly 2.8% of worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making it the sixth-largest emitter if treated as a nation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The Evolution of the Emissions Framework<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>At the MEPC-83 session, five proposals were presented:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>International Chamber of Shipping<\/strong>: Proposed a fixed levy per tonne of CO\u2082 emitted.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China<\/strong>: Advocated for a market-driven approach allowing ships to trade compliance units.<\/li>\n<li><strong>European Union<\/strong>: Suggested a fixed GHG levy managed by an IMO-administered fund.<\/li>\n<li><strong>India<\/strong>: Proposed a &#8216;bridging mechanism&#8217; that penalizes under-compliant ships and rewards those using Zero or Near-Zero (ZNZ) fuels.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Singapore<\/strong>: Built upon India\u2019s model, suggesting a GHG Fuel Standard (GFS) with tiered incentives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Ultimately, Singapore\u2019s hybrid model, inspired by India\u2019s proposal, was approved with a 63-16 vote.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>However, the decision is pending final ratification under the MARPOL convention\u2019s Annex VI amendment process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The Geopolitical Dynamics<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The discussions saw sharp divides:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Oil Exporting Nations (Saudi Arabia and Others)<\/strong>: Opposed significant reforms to protect fossil fuel markets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Small Island Nations and Least Developed Countries<\/strong>: Demanded steep carbon levies to fund green development.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China and Other Major Shipping Nations<\/strong>: Favoured minimal levies to remain competitive.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scandinavian Countries<\/strong>: Advocated for rewards for their early investments in decarbonization.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brazil<\/strong>: Pushed for methanol as a primary marine fuel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Despite these differences, the adoption of the MBM framework has set a powerful precedent, even though scepticism remains among shipowners, especially in Greece.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Significance of Green Transition in Shipping<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Though often invisible to consumers, the shipping industry is a major contributor to global emissions. Without immediate reforms, emissions from this sector could rise by 50% to 250% by 2050.<\/li>\n<li>To align with the UN\u2019s Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, the IMO introduced several measures:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Mandatory Fuel Oil Consumption Reporting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>By 2030, the <strong>IMO targets a 40% reduction in carbon intensity compared to 2008 levels<\/strong>, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>India\u2019s Strategic Advantages<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>While the new emission levies may increase India\u2019s maritime logistics costs marginally (up to 7.29% on imports and 8.09% on exports by 2030), the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term challenges.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Key opportunities for India:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>India\u2019s coastal fleet remains unaffected as the MBMs apply only to international shipping.<\/li>\n<li>India spends about $400 million annually on fuel for its international fleet, projected to rise by just $108 million by 2030 under the MBM, manageable considering the economy&#8217;s scale.<\/li>\n<li>India is poised to become a global leader in green hydrogen exports through its National Hydrogen Mission. Companies like Reliance, Adani, and JSW are heavily investing in this sector.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>The IMO\u2019s framework aligns perfectly with India\u2019s clean fuel targets. Indian green hydrogen meets IMO\u2019s emission standards, opening lucrative markets for export.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The adoption of the MBM framework marks a transformative moment for the shipping industry.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>It not only addresses a critical sector in the global fight against climate change but also opens up vast economic opportunities for India in green energy exports.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>If fully implemented, this could make global shipping the first truly regulated sector under binding climate goals, setting an example for others to follow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Global Shipping Emissions FAQs<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q1.<\/strong> What is the Market-Based Measure (MBM) framework?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> It is a new global policy to reduce shipping emissions through financial penalties and rewards, promoting the use of clean fuels.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2. <\/strong>How did India contribute to the IMO\u2019s new emissions policy?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> India proposed a balanced emissions framework that influenced the final hybrid model adopted by the IMO.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3. <\/strong>How will the new framework impact India\u2019s economy?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> It will have a modest short-term cost impact but offer significant long-term benefits through green fuel exports.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4. <\/strong>What is India doing to leverage this opportunity?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> India is heavily investing in green hydrogen production and aims to become a global hub for clean energy exports.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5. <\/strong>Why is the shipping industry crucial for climate action?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Shipping contributes nearly 2.8% of global emissions; without reforms, these emissions could increase by 250% by 2050.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/business\/Industry\/how-is-the-shipping-industry-tackling-emissions-explained\/article69568699.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India drives global shipping emissions levy, boosting green energy exports and sustainable maritime growth for new economic opportunities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":46656,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-46655","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46655\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}