The European Commission has released a new report that outlines the need for a reduction in shipping pollution, with the ultimate goal of aiding the fight against climate change.
According to the report from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), a mix of regulatory measures, such as sulphur emission control areas, and fuel efficiency standards, combined with market-based instruments, is the best way to reduce the environmetnal impact of shipping.
Technical solutions for reducing fuel consumption, air pollutants and greenhouse gases include better ship design, propulsion, machinery and optimised operation, JRC said.
'The JRC report underlines why pollution from shipping, like that from many other sources, needs to be reduced both to help tackle climate change and prevent severe damage to human health,' said Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Maire Geoghegan Quinn.
Shipping is currently the most environmentally friendly mode of transport, moving 90 per cent of global goods while accounting for just 4 per cent of worldwide man-made CO2 emissions, according to Xinhua.
However, many experts have forecast an increase in shipping emissions of some 150-200 per cent by 2050.
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