Cut ship speeds and help climate 12 November 2019
Climate change: Speed limits for ships can have ‘massive’ benefits (via BBC)
By Matt McGrath
Cutting the speed of ships has huge benefits for humans, nature and the climate, according to a new report. A 20% reduction in speed would cut greenhouse gases but also curb pollutants that damage human health such as black carbon and nitrogen oxides.
This speed limit would cut underwater noise by 66% and reduce the chances of whale collisions by 78%.
UN negotiators will meet in London this week to consider proposals to curb maritime speeds.
Ships, of all sorts and sizes, transport around 80% of the world’s goods by volume. However they are also responsible for a significant portion of global greenhouse emissions thanks to the burning of fuel.
Shipping generates roughly 3% of the global total of warming gases – that’s roughly the same quantity as emitted by Germany.
