June 23, 2021 – Ottawa, Canada – The Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) attended the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC 76) virtual meetings June 10-17, 2021. The IMO MEPC discussed key steps to reduce the shipping industry’s impact on climate and the marine and coastal environment.
The ambitious agenda aimed to cover key topics including greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), air pollution, black carbon (BC), heavy fuel oil (HFO) and underwater noise – important steps in achieving commitments to a cleaner global shipping fleet.
Advances were made on reducing underwater noise by launching urgent new work on reviewing and strengthening the underwater noise guidelines from 2014. Those 2014 voluntary guidelines had no significant effects on curbing noise pollution to date. Unfortunately, little progress was made on short term measures that would achieve the IMO’s commitment to reducing GHG emissions by 40% from global shipping by 2030.
Shipping in Inuit Nunaat, the circumpolar Inuit homeland, has increased by 25% since 2015. In Inuit Nunangat, the Canadian Inuit homeland, Arctic shipping has increased by 37% between 2015-2019. As Arctic shipping continues to increase across the circumpolar world, ICC’s position is that Governments must support industry to transition to cleaner, safer fuels so increased costs are not passed onto communities.
“Inuit depend on Arctic shipping for resupply and consider it critical infrastructure. Our wellbeing, however, relies on a healthy and sustainable marine and coastal environment and therefore a safe Arctic shipping fleet is a priority” said Lisa Koperqualuk, ICC Canada Vice President International, who attended the IMO meeting.
Unfortunately, few concrete actions were advanced to protect the Arctic from GHG emissions and black carbon from Arctic shipping. Black carbon, produced from burning heavy fuel oil, is a short-lived climate forcer and accelerates ice loss when it is deposited on snow and ice. Further, an HFO spill in the Arctic would be devastating to the marine ecosystem.
“Without bold action now, our way of life is at risk. Our communities depend on the marine environment and the sea ice – which is rapidly being lost. Actions that have potential to safeguard the Arctic must be taken now. BC in the Arctic was to be discussed at this meeting, but now has been deferred to MEPC 77 in November, more time lost, more damage done”, said ICC Chair Dalee Sambo Dorough.
The agreement on an “urgent” short-term measure to reduce shipping’s carbon intensity that contains no enforcement mechanism and a level of ambition that will result in business as usual, is not a serious response to the climate crisis. To reach the Paris agreement 1.5C temperature goal, an annual 7% carbon intensity reduction in shipping was needed. The 1.5% annual reduction as it stands now will not achieve the Paris goal.
Ms. Koperqualuk, stated, “ICC applauds Canada for prioritizing the urgency to reduce black carbon in the Arctic shipping fleet – approximately 2% of global BC emitted from shipping ends up in the Arctic. Time is not on our side, as new reports suggest the Arctic is warming at three times the rate of the rest of the planet – even faster than predicted. The protection of the Arctic marine environment and the conservation of marine resources are fundamental to the maintenance of global ecological health and stability. Arctic oceans and their ecosystems must be valued as an essential global resource. The oceans are all connected, as we lose our Arctic ice, the small island developing states are experiencing dangerous sea level rise. Those with the least to gain, have the most to lose.”
ICC is awaiting an IMO decision if ICC will have our own voice, through IMO consultative status, at these important meetings. Inuit involvement in shipping and coastal management policy can and must be deepened in a meaningful and self-determined way.
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Contact:
Stephen Hendrie
ICC Canada
Email: type88@post.com
(613) 563-2642